How To Train Your Hiccup
by thepurplewriter333
Summary: Post RTTE Season 4 finale. While the riders are hunting down the remaining Dragon Hunters, Hiccup is injured in battle, waking long days later… only to have no idea where he is and why dragons are all over the place. Meanwhile, a forgotten enemy looms off the coast of Berk, ready to take revenge on the boy who took away everything from him- Hiccup Haddock. COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

"TOOTHLESS, PLASMA BLAST!"

A Dragon Hunter ship immediately went up in flames, much to Hiccup and Toothless's delight. "Great job, bud," Hiccup said, scratching his dragon's ears. Toothless rumbled happily.

"Let's see if we can hit any more of them," Astrid called over. "They'll pay for what they did!"

After the volcanic eruption at Dragon's Edge, the Dragon Riders were forced to stay at Berk until the ash had cleared from the air. Though Viggo was dead and Ryker still nowhere to be found, rogue Dragon Hunters roamed the seas, requiring the Dragon Riders to hunt them down and release captured dragons. It was a tiring job, but necessary nonetheless.

"Would you like that, Astrid?" Snotlout asked, blasting a particularly nasty catapult into smithereens. "Because I can do whatever you want, babe. Just say the w-"

"Snotlout!" Stoick yelled, causing the boy to flinch. "Get back to work!"'

And yes, because taking out the Dragon Hunters was such a big job, Stoick, Gobber, and the A-Team accompanied them on each raid. "It'll be fun," Stoick had told Hiccup, cracking his knuckles over dinner, anticipated for the coming battles. "I'll teach them why they shouldn't have messed with my boy..."

"Uh, Hiccup!" Fishlegs alerted, snapping Hiccup from his thoughts. "I think we've got a problem!"

Hiccup looked in the direction Fishlegs was gesturing to, and grimaced. Another fleet of ships was coming their way, fully loaded with dragon-proof decks, catapults, and chains. He groaned. "Oh, for the love of- Snotlout! Astrid! Come with me. Ready to test out the new ability?"

Astrid grinned, lowering her swinging ax. "I thought you'd never ask…"

Snotlout covered his face with his hands. "I don't see why _I_ have to do this too," he moaned, and Hookfang snorted in annoyance. "Why can't Guppy-Legs over there do it?"

"What new ability?" Tuffnut asked, flying over with Barf and Belch. "I wanna be in it! Ooh, pick me! Pick me!"

Hiccup sighed. "It's not that kind of ability, Tuff. Remember that thing that Astrid, Snotlout and I have been working on for the past couple of weeks?" At Tuffnut's blank stare, Hiccup sighed again. "Okay, never mind. Just wait for our signal."

"Wait, what's the signal?" Ruff asked, alarmed.

"You'll know it when you see it!"

Hiccup, Snotlout, and Astrid flew off in the direction of the approaching Dragon Hunter ships, getting into their positions. Toothless and Stormfly flew side by side, right under Hookfang until they were all nearly touching. Hiccup tightened as they got closer to the ships. He had never known how many dragon-proof ships Viggo had made before his death, but now that he saw there were at least four more...

"Are you ready?" Astrid breathed, sensing Hiccup's discomfort.

Hiccup grunted. "I have to be."

"Well, _I'm_ not ready!" Snotlout whined. "I am most definitely _not ready!_ Why do we have to take down these guys anyway? It's not like we can't just retreat and head back to Berk. Speaking of Berk-"

"No, Snotlout, we can't go back and take a… _power nap_ , as you call it."

Snotlout's eyes narrowed. "Fine, Hiccup! But know that if I wake up in the morning looking like some sort of wild dragon, it's your fault because I didn't get my beauty sleep!"

"Oh, don't worry, Snotlout," answered Astrid sweetly. "You already look like one!"

Snotlout paused, trying to figure out the insult in the comment. He was about to snap back when the three riders arrived at the Dragon Hunter ships.

Hiccup breathed in slowly. _Here they go…_

"Now, Snotlout!" Hiccup yelled.

Snotlout motioned to Hookfang, and Hookfang began to spray a jet of fire into the dark night sky. Stormly added to the firepower, and Toothless got ready to act. "One more moment, bud, one more moment," Hiccup muttered, the ships drawing so near. The riders dove their dragons towards the deck, and...

"Now, bud!"

Toothless crowed, sending out a plasma blast in the mix of Hookfang's and Stormfly's fire. The blast turned the flames a hot white and it raged against the closest ship's deck.

Even though the ship was dragon proof, the combination of all the burning fire was more than enough to burn a hole in the deck. Water instantly leaked from inside, causing panic to spread among the men as the ship began to sink.

Hiccup laughed, patting Toothless. "Nice one, bud!" He nodded towards the sky. "Now for the signal. The others will know what to do."

The dragon complied, and sent purple blast into the air, alerting the other riders. Meanwhile, back where the others were, they had just finished sinking the last of the Dragon Hunter ships and were waiting to take down the new ones once Hiccup gave them the signal.

So, all of them waited until Toothless's plasma blast shot up in the air "That's the signal!" Fishlegs yelped, turning to the others. "We have to go now, guys! Hiccup needs us!"

"I'm not waiting," Stoick agreed, riding off into the direction of his son. He let out a fearsome, Hooligan war cry while doing so. It felt like music to his ears, though it would sound like a dragon giving a painful birth to anyone else.

The group moved towards Hiccup and the others, blasting anything in their path. "We're doing it, Meatlug!" Fishlegs exclaimed, maneuvering around an incoming boulder. Fishlegs sighed in relief. "Oh, I'm so proud of you, girl!"

Meatlug's tongue flapped out as she smiled with glee, drool running everywhere. They were about to reach and attack the rest of the ships when the first wave of arrows came out. "Fly, Barf!" Ruffnut yelled, dodging the arrows. "Fly!"

Hiccup looked up from flying Toothless over the silent water, preparing for a sneak attack. But his friends had arrived, he noted, and they had been met with a flurry of dragon root arrows. Hiccup winced. "What do you say we help them out, bud?" he questioned, cocking his head.

Toothless snorted in agreement.

Hiccup laughed. "I was hoping you'd say that." He turned Toothless to go up, and the boy and his dragon flew in a full semi-circle as they turned around. "Get 'em, Toothless!"

Toothless shot a plasma blast at the nearest range of archers, which caused the arrow stream to die down. Astrid and Stormfly caught onto the idea and helped Hiccup with his attack.

"Amazing as always, Toothless," Hiccup smiled. "Now, let's help out Dad and Gob- TOOTHLESS, LOOK OUT!" The reason Hiccup screamed so abruptly was because a single dragon root arrow headed their way, ready to crash into Toothless and knock him out of the sky. Toothless didn't have time to move, so Hiccup did the only thing he could think of to help.

He stuck out his right arm and watched as the arrow sunk into it.

For a moment, nothing happened.

And then he screamed.

* * *

 **Yes, I know, I'm terrible. Cliffhanger!** **SoOOO, this is my first fan fiction story, which my sister dared for me to write. If it's not good, please let me know! :)**

 **Thanks for reading, and there will be more soon, I PROMISE!**

 **Hugs and kisses to you all! Happy late Easter! :D  
**

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	2. Chapter 2

**You guys are AMAZING!** **I went to bed last night after posting the first chapter of this story, and when I came downstairs to check my email in the morning, it's FILLED (maybe not FILLED, but I was surprised) with followers, faves, and reviews!**

 **Thank you guys! You really made my day!**

 ***gives you all virtual hugs while squealing uncontrollably***

 **Here's another chapter! :) Some Hiccstrid fluff in here, which I know most of you will like (hopefully ;)) Enjoy!**

* * *

Hiccup looked down at the arrow protruding from his arm. _I've been hit,_ he thought in a daze.

And it _hurt._

Hiccup cried out as the arrow grew more and more painful in his skin. Toothless roared in alarm at his rider's pain, and lowered the two so that they hovered just above the dark water. Biting down on his teeth, Hiccup pulled the arrow out from his skin, tears forming in his eyes.

"Ow..."

Blood seeped from the thick laceration, but Hiccup knew the arrow hadn't sunk in too deep- thank the gods- but he still needed medical attention as soon as possible. His vision was a little foggy from the loss of blood, and he felt like he was going to throw up if he moved too , of course, there was a battle going on, which meant that ceasing the battle just to go home was unacceptable. He was fine for now, Hiccup knew. But he couldn't let anyone know about the wound just yet.

"Hiccup! HICCUP!"

Hiccup grimaced. Astrid had seen him.

Not a moment later, Stormfly and Astrid flew down next to Hiccup. Astrid looked in between terrified and shocked. "Hiccup? What happened?" she asked, studying his bleeding arm. "I-I was helping you take out the archers when you and Toothless fell. Are you all right?"

"Fine," Hiccup said through gritted teeth. "I just got shot with an arrow… nothing too bad-"

"An arrow?" Astrid interrupted, her blue eyes startlingly large. "Hiccup, you've already lost a lot of blood… let me get you something to cover it with."

"Astrid, I'm f-"

"Hiccup!" Astrid's stern gaze was threatening on the boy. "Sit still while I get a bandage. _Don't. Move._ " She began to dig through the satchel attached to Stormfly while Hiccup rolled his eyes, and Astrid eventually reappeared with a long, white bandage. "I know it's not much," Astrid admitted as she handed it over, "but it'll have to do for now."

Hiccup tied it over his bleeding wound, tying it up with a nod of approval. "Perfect. I'll be back in action in no time."

Astrid darkened. "No, Hiccup! You're sitting this one out- you're wounded." She gave him a paranoid look. "Sometimes I think you don't get things like that, and _that's_ how you wind up in a sick bed the very next day. Please, Hiccup. It's too dangerous. Can you do this for me?"

Hiccup almost found himself nodding, but he stopped himself. He couldn't abandon all the other riders. His own FATHER, for Thor's sake, was flying around in the midst of danger, relying on Hiccup to help him finish the fight. He couldn't back out now, not when so many people needed him. "I'll stop… in a minute," he said to Astrid.

The girl sighed. "There's really no way I'm going to convince you otherwise?"

"Not that I was planning on."

Astrid nodded, a soft smile on her lips. "Well, if I can't stop you, I'll help you. _Someone_ has to keep you out of trouble!"

Hiccup smiled back. "Thanks, Astrid. You're the best. Let's go."

Motioning to Toothless, the rider and dragon flew back up in the air next to the awaiting Astrid. "You sure you're okay?" she asked, raising her brow in concern when Hiccup winced. "I can easily take these guys down if you're not feeling up to it."

"Nah," Hiccup grinned. "I'd prefer to _personally_ send a message to Viggo's men about why they shouldn't have messed with Dragon's Edge."

Astrid laughed, despite the battle raging on around them. "All right, Hiccup. FOR DRAGON'S EDGE!" And she flew off, shouting her fearsome war cry. Hiccup noted that she almost seemed to be at home dodging the waves of arrows and blasting the incoming boulders with Stormfly's fierce fire. She even had time to give Hiccup a smile before flying back into the thick of the battle again.

"Come on, bud," Hiccup said to Toothless. "Let's show these guys not to mess with the Dragon Riders."

Toothless growled, thoroughly agreeing.

"Let's go!" Hiccup yelled, flying Toothless over to the nearest line of archers. "Toothless, barrel roll! Multiple blasts!" Toothless did what Hiccup ordered, knocking out ten of the twenty archers. Hiccup whooped. "Nice job, bud! Now, let's go rescue some of your dragon friends."

Toothless and Hiccup dove to the deck of the nearest ship, fending off any Dragon Hunters that came in their way. Astrid helped out- of course-, being the overprotective girlfriend she was, and soon Hiccup had a clear path to the hatch which led to the dragons that were roaring below deck.

"Down, Toothless!" Hiccup ordered. Toothless snorted, dipping into the open hatch where the dragons were. Once they got below deck, they saw the caged beasts almost immediately. There was no one guarding them due to the battle above, and that made it easy for Hiccup to pull down the chains which opened the cages.

The wild dragons yelped as their cages opened, but they all soon followed Hiccup and Toothless out of the tight space, ready to taste freedom again. "Yes, bud, we're doing it!" Hiccup grinned. "These guys'll be in the air in no time."

When the wild dragons and Hiccup and Toothless reached the deck, Hiccup saw that his side was winning battle. His friends were fearless warriors, hooting and yelling while they attacked the Dragon Hunters, and the dragons were incredible with their firepower and talons. (All of them except Snotlout who cowered behind Fishlegs, whimpering)

"Hiccup!" Stoick boomed, flying over to his son on Skullcrusher. "Great work with the dragons. We need all the firepower we can-" He stopped, noticing the reddened bandage on Hiccup's arm. "Son! You're injured!"

Hiccup smiled nervously. "It's not that bad, Dad. But now we have a battle to finish. I promise we can take a look at it later, all right?" It was the only way to satisfy his father. And Hiccup didn't even feel as bad as he felt before. There was no reason to worry.

Stoick heaved a sigh. "All right, Hiccup. But right after!" He then grinned, flying upwards. "Now, do we have a battle to end, or are we just waiting around for Thor's lightning to spark us into action?"

Hiccup followed his father, shaking his head in amusement. "We're finishing this, Dad. One way or another, we're finishing this."

* * *

"YES!" Hiccup yelled, flying over to Astrid after the long battle. "We won!"

Astrid tried to brush off his wild enthusiasm, but even she smiled widely. "Of course we did, Hiccup," she smirked. "We're Dragon Riders! We're invincible!" She looked down at Hiccup's wounded arm, wincing. "And _one_ of those Dragon Riders promised to take it easy after the battle ended."

Hiccup sighed. "Come on, Astrid. Just another minute. I have to talk to the leader of all these ships and ask why he's doing this… he's really caused some damage."

Astrid nodded, though reluctant. "Be quick, okay?"

"Sure, Astrid."

Hiccup and Toothless flew down, landing on the largest ship's deck with a thud. Stoick, Gobber, and the A-Team were already there, guarding the seized Dragon Hunter crew. All of the Hunters seemed ordinary… except that one beefy man was tied up to the mast, set apart from the others. Hiccup frowned. _That must be their new leader. He and I need to have a chat…_

"We kept them ready for you, son," Stoick grinned, clapping a hand down on Hiccup's shoulder.

"Thanks, Dad," Hiccup said, beginning to walk over to the man tied to the mast. He narrowed his eyes, catching the Hunter's attention. "Are you the leader of these raids? Tell me and I'll go easy on you."

The man laughed, his muscles bulging while he shook. "Indeed I am, _Hiccup Haddock,"_ he sneered, which sent a chill down Hiccup's spine. "Though Viggo and Ryker are gone, that doesn't change our motto: hunt down every dragon and drive them into extinction."

Furious, Hiccup crossed his arms, but grimaced when his right arm protested at the movement. _I have to be more careful about that,_ he told himself. "Well, you're coming to Berk now, where you'll be under lock and key for the rest of your life," Hiccup snapped.

The beefy man glared at Hiccup. "I highly doubt that, Hiccup. I won't go down without a fight."

Hiccup raised his eyebrow. "Oh, really? So, despite the fact that you're completely surrounded with deadly, fire-breathing dragons and some angry Berkians, you're still going to attack us?" When the man looked frustrated, Hiccup sighed. "I thought so. Dad, help me untie this guy. We're taking him to Berk."

Stoick came over, his cheeks red from either anger or exertion from the battle. "Gladly, son." He untied the man's bonds that were attached to the mast, and he was just about to tie the man's hands back up again when suddenly the Hunter jumped away.

Hiccup stiffened, and silence filled the ship.

"Nice try, Hiccup," the man said, cracking his muscles. "But this was only a small victory compared to the plans my master has for you."

 _Master?_ Hiccup thought. _Who could that be? Certainly not Viggo or Ryker…_

The boy was snapped out of his trance when the man bent over before him, picking up a war hammer. Alarm bells went off into Hiccup's head, but he couldn't do anything. He was frozen.

And that was when the Hunter flung the hammer at Hiccup's head.

Before Hiccup had time to react, the hammer made contact with the side of his head, stunning the boy. His vision went red, then gray, and was fading in black…

The last thing he heard before he collapsed was his friends calling his name, over and over.

"Hiccup… Hiccup…!"

Then blackness ensued.


	3. Chapter 3

**Two updates in ONE DAY? I'm really spoiling you guys.** **Anyways, nice to see you all again! *waves***

 **Sooo, here is Chapter Three, up and ready for reading! And GUESS WHAT: NO CLIFFHANGER FOR THIS CHAPTER. And I will live up to my word, so this chapter will end without someone passing out or getting shot! Enjoy!**

 **Also, I'm thinking about writing a series of one-shots about when Hiccup is hurt/sick and his friends and family have to take care of him. Lots of fluff. :) What do you think?**

* * *

Astrid watched in terror as her best friend, her partner in battle, one of the most brilliant minds she had ever met got hit in the head with a swinging hammer.

Full of rage, she tackled the man who did this so that he was safely restrained, being able to cause no more damage. She looked up at Hiccup in concern, who laid on the brown deck, motionless. His arrow wound had opened again, spreading blood across his spot on the ship, and Astrid didn't even know how bad his head wound was. All she knew was that her boyfriend was unconscious, and the man who caused this needed to pay.

She slammed him down on the ground again.

"Oof!" the man grunted as his head hit the deck. "Get off of me, girl!"

Astrid glared down at him, snarling. Literally; she snarled. "Stay down!" She looked up at the nearby whimpering Fishlegs. "Keep this guy tied up. I need to check on Hiccup."

Fishlegs murmured something that was unintelligible to Astrid's ears, which she took as a, "Yes, Astrid." After securing the man in Fishleg's custody, she raced over to Hiccup. Stoick was already there, gently shaking his son.

"Hiccup… son! Can you hear me?" Stoick was saying.

Astrid kneeled down beside the chief. "How is he?"

Stoick shook his head, putting his son's head in his lap. "I'm not sure. The blow from the hammer was hard, and it hit him about here." He pointed to an already-forming bump on the left side of Hiccup's head. "I'm not sure how serious it is, though. We have to get him back to Berk to find out. Gothi will know what to do."

Nodding, Astrid stood up. "Well, there's no time to wait. Go get him on Skullcrusher, and we can fly him back."

Toothless rumbled from his spot next to Hiccup, the dragon's neon green eyes wide with concern. Astrid groaned. _How are we going to get Toothless back? He can't fly by himself…_ "Stormfly, you're going to have to fly on your own this time, girl," she said to her dragon, who cocked her head back at her rider. Astrid continued. "I'll have to ride Toothless to get him back to Berk. You know he'd try to swim back otherwise. He and Hiccup-" She paused, a lump forming in her throat. "They're too close to be separated…"

 _Hiccup._

The boy she had sworn to protect.

 _Hiccup._

The best, truest friend she had ever had.

 _Hiccup._

The boy who now laid unconscious in his father's arms, with a bleeding arrow wound and a hit from a hammer to the head.

 _Hiccup._

Before Astrid could dwell on how much she had failed her friend, Toothless nudged her, ready to take off. Stoick had already left with his rider, and Toothless wanted to go right after him. Astrid laughed at the dragon's insistence. He really did care for Hiccup. "Alright, Toothless. Let's get you up into the air and back to Berk."

Toothless growled, agreeing.

Astrid mounted Toothless, and she motioned for the A-Team to help Fishlegs keep the man who hurt Hiccup from getting away. She paused before flying off. "You!" she called over to the struggling man. "What's your name?" She had to put him on her revenge list.

The man glanced up at her, grinning cruelly. His teeth were yellow and brown from the lack of brushing, and it made Astrid grimace. "You can call me Dark," he said. "Because that's what I bring. The dark."

Astrid glared. "Well, isn't it your lucky day? Your cell will be dark too. Oh, and I hope your middle name is "small". Because that's what the cell also is. Small."

Dark glowered back. "You'll pay for this, girl," he warned. "My master will make sure of that, I can promise you. You'll regret the day you ever put Dark in chains."

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Sure... Come on, Toothless! Let's follow Stoick." She and Toothless took off, Stormfly tailing behind. Astrid had to make sure she was flying Toothless correctly during the beginning of their flight (after all, when she and Hiccup took their sunset flights, _she_ wasn't the one driving), but she got the hang of it quickly. Astrid spotted Stoick and Skullcrusher up ahead, seeing Hiccup's limp form sticking out as well.

She winced. _I should have protected him better… I should have made him go home the moment he got shot! Oh, Hiccup… I'm so sorry._

Astrid could almost imagine her boyfriend scolding, "It's not your fault, Astrid. I'm fine!" A tear threatened to run down her cheek. _But you're not fine now, Hiccup. And it_ is _my fault. I should have known that something would happen._

When Berk appeared in the distance, Astrid let out a sigh of relief. Hiccup could be treated by Gothi, now. He'd be safe, away from the past battle. "Hold on, Hiccup," she muttered. "You're almost home."

Toothless grunted, flying a bit faster.

In dawn's early light, Astrid saw Stoick and Skullcrusher land near the docks of Berk. Stoick wasted no time to carry Hiccup off towards Gothi's hut, the father bubbling with concern. Astrid and Toothless finally reached Berk a minute later, but they didn't bother to land. They followed where Stoick had gone, and landed on the platform near Gothi's home. Astrid jumped off of Toothless, running towards the door.

 _I'm coming, Hiccup. I'm coming._

She barged into the room, panting. Toothless and Stormfly followed behind her, much to Gothi's surprise. Stoick didn't even look up as the girl came in. He only stared at Hiccup, looking a bit… well… stoic.

"Gothi. Nice to see you as always," Astrid said with a nod. The little old woman glared at Astrid for barging in, but she didn't whack her with her cane, so Astrid took that as an improvement. "How is Hiccup?" she asked Stoick, coming up behind him.

Stoick looked up, his face unreadable. "Gothi is just about to check him up. We'll see in a minute, lad."

Astrid was about to ask something else when she noticed something new about Hiccup. He seemed paler than the last time she had seen him. As she looked closer, she saw thick beads of sweat running down Hiccup's forehead. The boy's face was tightened in pain.

"Stoick, I think there's something wrong with Hiccup," she said slowly.

The chief was alarmed, and bent forehead, feeling his son's forehead. He grimaced when he felt it, and pulled his hand away.

"What is it?" Astrid asked in a rush. _Don't let it be bad… don't let it be bad…_

Stoick bit his lip. "He's got a fever. And it's high."

* * *

He waited below the ship, waiting. Waiting.

Waiting.

He grimaced as a wave of pain moved through his broken leg. Ever since the _incident_ , he knew it would never be the same, sturdy leg it had been before. _Another reason to make Hiccup Haddock pay,_ he mused, tapping his fingers on the armrests of his wooden chair.

Finally, the door to his right opened. He looked up and narrowed his eyes at the hunched figure. "Well, it's about time. I was wondering when you would show up. How did the mission go?" When he was met with a nervous silence by the messenger, he growled, furious. "Again? How does Hiccup do it? I should have killed him when I had the chance..."

He angrily kicked the wall with his good leg. It left a satisfying dent in the wood.

"Apologies, sir," the deep voice replied. "But I also have good news: Hiccup Haddock _did_ manage to get himself injured. He took a hit to the head by your head general who smacked him with a war hammer, _and_ he had an arrow to the arm. The boy is still unconscious, though. The Berkians speak of him having a high fever, and they're not sure he'll make it through the night."

The messenger's master glared at the floor. "Well, he better," he spat. "I haven't waited this long to get my revenge on Hiccup Haddock."

A pause. The messenger cleared his throat.

"Sir, what exactly did this Hiccup Haddock do? He seems too weak to inflict something so horrible upon you. How much damage could he have done?"

He scowled, turning away. "The boy took away everything from me. _Everything._ He couldn't keep his nose away from my business... and he'll pay." Smiling murderously, he nodded.

"Yes, Hiccup Haddock will soon pay."

* * *

Gothi placed another wet towel on Hiccup's forehead, shaking her head sadly. It had been four hours since the Dragon Riders got back from the Dragon Hunter battle, and Hiccup had not improved at all. In fact, his condition was getting worse.

"His fever's too high," Stoick told Astrid, pacing the room in worry. "If we don't cool him down soon, then…" He didn't go on, but Astrid understood. Fevers were a dangerous thing to the brain, and if one ever got too high, there was a chance Hiccup wouldn't survive.

But, no way. That would never happen.

Astrid wouldn't let _anything_ happen to her Hiccup.

Toothless was worked up into a frenzy as well, refusing to eat or sleep. He only stared at his master, blinking once every few minutes. Once in awhile, Toothless would even lick Hiccup's cheek in an attempt to get him to wake.

But Hiccup never did.

Astrid sat herself down in a chair, exhausted. She had been awake all night, what with the battle and taking care of Hiccup. Still, as much as she wanted to sleep, the fear of Hiccup needing her kept her wide awake. She had to stay with him until he woke up. Just until he was clear of any danger, and _then_ she would finally sleep.

Astrid watched Hiccup, her eyes almost as unblinking as Toothless's. After a half hour of Astrid's watching, Hiccup began to stir. _Is he waking up?_ Astrid thought, alarmed. _I hope he is… he's been unconscious too long._

Hiccup groaned a few times, but he didn't open his eyes. He began to mutter things a moment later. "No… don't hurt them… please… I'll do anything… just take me..."

 _He's having a nightmare,_ Astrid realized. She immediately got up and walked over, rubbing Hiccup's shoulders so he was in a relaxing position. "It's okay, Hiccup. I'm here. It's Astrid, remember? There's no one in danger. You're fine. I'm fine. We're all fine… except you. But we're all waiting for you to wake up."

"Astrid…," Hiccup slurred, suddenly grabbing her left hand. He relaxed at the girl's soft touch. "Astrid…"

Astrid smiled. "I'm here, Hiccup. I'm staying right here."

Even though Hiccup most likely couldn't hear her in his wounded state, he smiled. He gave an actual smile. That warmed Astrid's heart, and she tightened her hold on Hiccup's fingers.

"Feel better, Hiccup."

And Hiccup, though unconscious, slightly moved his head.

He was nodding.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm… BACK! For the 3rd time today. Don't judge, I'm bored!** **Thank you for the reviews and likes and faves! :) It's keeping me going! Also, I just set up a profile so take a look if you want!** **And guys… big news…** **Shout outs this week! Here they are!:**

 **flopy:** **Hictooth moments are coming, I PROMISE! Sit tight!**

 **animalsarepeopletoo: ****Thank you so much for your support! I really need it!:D**

 **AvatarAngel0723:** **I'm so glad you like it! And yes, I will be updating as much as I possibly can. I'll probably do 4-5 chapter a week, how does that sound….?**

 **Foxxlight:** **I'm so happy you like it! I'll be adding more throughout the week, so keep a look out!**

 **katurdi:** **I'm sooooooooooooooo very very happy you like it! Thanks for reviewing!**

 **FanWriter02:** **Aww, thanks! :D I'm excited to try out Hiccup!whump stories too! I want to get some ideas from you guys, though-if anyone HAS ideas-, because my brain is fried after a long day of school, so feel free to leave ideas! (THIS GOES OUT TO EVERYONE ELSE TOO!)**

 **AvatarAngel0723: *laughs evilly* All will be revealed soon! Hiccup will be waking up at the end of the chapter but something is off! Glad you liked the Hiccstrid moments:) I enjoyed writing them. As for Hicctooth, I've got something up my sleeve for next chapter...**

 **Now I'm really pumped to write this chapter. Disney songs are playing on my TV from The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Frozen Fever, Moana, ahhhh! I feel so exhilarated!**

 **Here's another chapter for all of you! Probably the last one today, but we'll see! ;)**

* * *

It was dark…

It was cold… then hot…

Why did he hurt so much?

Hiccup couldn't open his eyes. His head burned, and he didn't know why. His right arm felt like someone had stabbed it. _What happened?_

He suddenly saw his friends tied up to a Dragon Hunter ship mast, all grunting as they tried to get to him. Their cries for help were deafening to Hiccup's ears. Hiccup tried to run forward to save them, but his legs wouldn't work. _What the-?_

A cruel laugh echoed in his ears. _Useless…_

Hiccup stiffened. He'd know that voice anywhere.

 _But how did he survive?_

Sure enough, Viggo Grimborn walked up before him, his eyes hot and hard. "Hello, dear Hiccup. It's been awhile, but I'm afraid I'll have to cut our time short. Because you threw me into a lava pit, I need my revenge… I'm going to have to _take care_ of your friends now."

Hiccup grew alarmed. "No! Don't hurt them… please."

"It's too late for begging, Hiccup."

"I'll do anything. Just take me instead." Hiccup was growing desperate. He had to protect his friends from Viggo. No matter what.

Viggo pretended to think about it, but then he shook his head while drawing his dagger. "I'm afraid not, _Hiccup."_ Viggo was just about to throw the dagger at his friends, when cold hands pressed down on Hiccup's shoulders.

A voice that could only be from an angel rang in his ears. "It's okay, Hiccup. I'm here. It's Astrid, remember? There's no one in danger. You're fine. I'm fine. We're all fine… except you. But we're all waiting for you to wake up."

 _Astrid…? Who was-_

Astrid!

Hiccup's dream vanished. "Astrid…," he murmured into the blackness. He had to check to see if she was okay, and he found himself gripping her hand. Astrid didn't pull away. "Astrid…" Hiccup wanted to say more, but his head was more prominently hurting now. He felt hot all over. _Why do I feel so bad? What happened?_

Astrid's voice came back within a second. "I'm here, Hiccup. I'm staying right here."

Hiccup tried to show her a sign that he could hear her, even as faint as her voice was to his buzzing ears… He forced himself to smile, if ever so slightly. It was all he could do without straining himself too much.

There was a slight pause, and then: "Feel better, Hiccup."

With all his strength, Hiccup moved his head up, and then down. He felt satisfied. He had nodded. A searing pain then went up his head.

The blackness returned.

* * *

"He woke up a little bit," Astrid told Stoick, who was now outside, The chief had left the room minutes before Hiccup woke, saying that he needed some "fresh air."

Stoick tensed, his eyes flashing with what looked to be hope. "My son… what did he say? What did he do?"

Astrid smirked at the chief's thick interest. "I think he had a nightmare, but I helped him out of it. He's fine for now- I even think his fever is going down." She breathed a sigh of relief, massaging her temple. "I think I need to sleep now. Can you watch Hiccup and Toothless for me?"

Wordlessly, Stoick nodded, and raced inside Gothi's hut. Astrid frowned, something nagging at the back of her head. She thought back to what Dark had said earlier. He had warned that his "master" had planned some things for Hiccup. And no part of his warning said that it was good.

"I need to sleep," she muttered. Astrid decided to head back to her hut on Stormfly- the girl was far too tired to walk back-, but before she went, she cast a glance behind her. Gothi's hut door was still slightly open from Stoick's rush to get inside, and she saw Hiccup lying on the bed inside, now unmoving.

She swallowed.

 _I'll be back later, Hiccup. Hang on._

And she left.

* * *

He stood on the ship's deck, looking out into the open sea. It was a beautiful, peaceful day, but he had little time to enjoy it. He had a job to do.

He had a boy to catch.

A soldier came up to him, his expression unreadable. "The ship's all ready to sail to Berk, sir!" He marched off, returning to his post.

He grinned. "Good. Hiccup Haddock will finally be mine."

* * *

Two days passed, and Hiccup didn't wake up again.

His fever did break shortly after Astrid talked to him, and Gothi announced that he was safe from future harm- if _safe_ was what you could call it. Hiccup still laid unconscious with no sign of improving. Astrid heard whispers of "coma" more times than she liked to count, but she still gripped onto the hope that Hiccup would return.

He would come back to her, like he always did.

Astrid found herself spending more time with Toothless lately as she sat at Hiccup's bedside. She was the only one who could coax the dragon into eating anything, and she would stroke him until he fell into a reluctant sleep, which she was doing right now.

Astrid sighed, watching Hiccup slumber on peacefully.

 _He'll wake later,_ she decided with a nod.

 _...right?_

Toothless let out a growl in his sleep, like he was fighting off enemies that were trying to get to Hiccup. Astrid chuckled lightly. The dragon probably was sending plasma blasts at the Dragon Hunters right now.

A yawn tickled Astrid's throat. She ignored it, giving a sigh instead. True, she had been neglecting her sleep lately what with Hiccup's condition, but she was used to getting four to five hours of rest before this mess. After, all being a Dragon Rider was no easy task.

"Astrid."

Astrid looked up. The sound had come from the doorway, and she saw that it was Stoick, who was scratching his beard in uneasiness. "I'll take over now, lass," the chief said, coming inside. "You've been awake too long. Hiccup would want you to rest."

Giving another long glance at her boyfriend, Astrid nodded. "Okay." Sleep did sound good as she fought back another yawn. "Let me know if anything new happens. I _need_ to know if he's doing anything new, now matter how unimportant it seems."

Stoick nodded, understanding. "Of course."

Astrid got up from her seat, awaking Toothless. The dragon snorted from the sudden wake up call, but then he shook his head, angry at himself for falling asleep. Toothless resumed his position at staring at Hiccup from the corner of the room.

Astrid left the hut, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

 _How much longer can we keep this up?_

* * *

He smelled Berk far before his men spotted it.

"It's approaching, sir!" his men yelled, scurrying all over the deck like frightened crabs. "What should we do? The dragons will spot our ships if we don't take cover!"

He glared at them. "Then we _hide_ , you fish brains _!"_ he roared, throwing the object closest to him at an unsuspecting soldier. Unfortunately, the object happened to be a heavy tin lantern, but the soldier ducked in time.

He scowled at the sea, his mood darkening by the second.

 _We're coming, Hiccup,_ he thought, walking over to the front of the ship.

 _And you better be prepared, because I'm not waiting for an invitation._

* * *

"A-Astrid! Astrid, wake up! It's Hiccup!"

Astrid jolted from her sleep, blinking rapidly. _Hiccup… Hiccup!_ She looked up to see who had awoken her; it was Fishlegs. The poor boy was panting from the long run to Astrid's hut, and was bent over, panting.

Leaping from her bed, Astrid grabbed her ax. "What is it? What happened? Did someone else hurt Hiccup?"

Fishlegs shook his head, straightening. "N-no, nothing like that."

"Then what?"

"He woke up! Hiccup woke up!"

Astrid nearly dropped her ax in shock, but managed to safely lower it to the floor before asking Fishlegs more about it. "He woke up? When? How is he?" She winced as terrible conclusions ran through her mind. "How does he feel?"

"No time to answer! Just follow me!"

Without a word, Astrid complied, and she and Fishlegs raced from her home to their dragons. It would be faster to fly to Gothi's hut than walk there, and Stormfly and Meatlug soon took off in the air, soaring toward the place where Hiccup awaited.

 _Hiccup,_ Astrid thought in relief. _He's awake. He's okay. Thor, I am going to kill that boy for worrying me so much._

Stormfly landed at Gothi's hut next to Meatlug, and Astrid jumped off her dragon's back quicker than she ever had before. She darted inside, her eyes large with excitement. "Hiccup! I'm so glad you're-" She stopped, seeing the boy.

Hiccup looked to be in a half-conscious state on the bed, looking confused at what everyone was saying to him. Gothi watched Hiccup with sharp eyes from the corner, Stoick was helping Hiccup sit up, and Toothless looked like he was ready to jump up on the bed and lick his rider all over once he woke up completely.

"Hiccup? You okay?" Astrid asked, walking inside more.

Her friend blinked, his eyes going in and out of focus. He didn't seem to recognize her. _Well, he_ did _get hit on the head with a giant hammer,_ Astrid admitted to herself. _Of course he's not going to see well. He probably doesn't even know what's going on._

"What…" Hiccup started to speak, but then coughed violently.

Stoick patted his son's back, finally sitting Hiccup all the way up. "There you go, son," he said, giving a ruffle to Hiccup's hair. "How do you feel?"

Hiccup looked at his father oddly, confused. Astrid felt worry bud inside her at Hiccup's reaction. Why was Hiccup acting like this? "Hiccup?" Astrid began again. "Hiccup, it's me. Astrid. You recognize me now, right?"

The boy cocked his head at her, wincing as his head wound pounded. "Where am I?" Hiccup asked slowly, looking at the others. "Why are you all being so nice to me?" He suddenly glanced down at his feet, giving a great gasp when he saw _it._

His face morphed into a white sheet of terror.

"And what happened to my leg?!"

* * *

 ***laughs way too evilly***

 **Boy, have I got plans in store for you, Hiccup Haddock...**

 **Please fave, follow, or review! Thank you so much for reading, I really hope you guys liked it!**

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you guys for the reviews last chapter! :D :D :D I'm so glad you liked it! Also… a sneak peak for chapter 5… LOTS OF HICTOOTH. I promised you guys last chapter that Chapter 5 would have Hictooth in it, and we're taking a step back from Hiccstrid. Sorry it's taken me five whole chapters to get to it, but it's mostly because Hiccup has been unconscious for the past few chapters!**

 ***yells, "Sorry, Hiccup! But face it- you're expendable!"***

 **Also, I made a new story, called "Through the Hurts".**

 **Without further adieu…** **Shoutouts!:**

 **FanWriter02:** **I will definitely do that! I love reading stuff like that, and it would be awesome to WRITE IT! Thanks so much:)!**

 **animalsarepeopletoo** **: Haha, yes, I'm the same way with cliffhangers. They're awesome to write but not so awesome to read;)**

 **katurdi:** **Correct! I** _ **am**_ **evil, and I'm proud to say it!;) I'm glad you like the story so far, and I will admit: HICCUP WILL BE CAPTURED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. (spoiler: end of chapter 7!) And I do love Hiccup!whumps as well. They're just so… SATISFYING. As for how Hiccup will react to Toothless… YOU SHALL SEE. You. Shall. See.**

 **SailorMew4:** **Hehe, I'm so glad you like it! And I feel the same about Hiccup amnesia stories. They're great!**

 **AvatarAngel0723:** **It might even be more than 4 updates a week. *wiggles eyebrows* It could be more like… I don't know… 15? *laughs* I'm trying to focus on writing some other stories, but I really like this one so I can't stop myself!**

* * *

Hiccup was panicking.

He had only woken up a minute ago, and then he was suddenly trapped in a world with loud words and blurry faces. _Where am I?_ he thought, his eyes widening. Why did his head hurt so much? Who was this person helping him sit up?

For a moment, Hiccup even forgot his own name, but it quickly came back to him. He was Hiccup Haddock, son of Stoick the Vast. _Oh… gods_ , he was in trouble with his father. He must have gotten smacked unconscious during another dragon raid- and he wasn't supposed to be out there. The funny thing was, he didn't remember a dragon raid or getting knocked unconscious. There was just a blank space in his memory there.

He heard voices asking, "Are you alright?", but he ignored them. _Where am I? Why am I here?_

 _What happened?_

Hiccup heard a deep voice say something from beside him. _It was his father._ Hiccup's blood ran cold as he tried to find Stoick's face, but his vision was too blurry to see him clearly.

"Hiccup?" a girl's voice asked. "Hiccup, it's me, Astrid. You recognize me now, right?"

Hiccup cocked his head, but winced as it pounded at the movement. "Where am I?" he asked, his vision slowly clearing. "Why are you all being so nice to me?" He was used to being the runt of the village and being made fun of- why were they all so concerned? Then, he felt something tingle on his left leg.

Something bad.

He looked down, gasping. Part of his leg was… gone.

"And what happened to my leg?!"

Next thing Hiccup knew, he was tackled by a black monster who licked him all over. Once Hiccup's vision finally cleared, and he saw that it was a-

"Dragon!" Hiccup yelled, leaping out of bed. He immediately regretted it as his head acted up even more, making him sway. Hiccup was about to fall to the floor when giant arms scooped him up and put him back into bed.

 _What…?_

"There you go, son," Stoick the Vast said, patting his son's head. "Didn't recognize Toothless, eh? That'll give any lad a scare."

Hiccup blinked, confused. Who was Toothless? And why was his father being so kind to him?

Hiccup looked to his right so that he now faced… _the dragon._ Hiccup sucked in a breath. _Why wasn't anyone doing anything? There was a DRAGON in the room, for Thor's sake! And it was a Night Fury- the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself!_

"You okay there, Hiccup? You're looking a little pale," a girl's voice commented.

Hiccup looked over at the doorway, and saw _Astrid Hofferson_. She genuinely looked concerned at his condition, making Hiccup blush. _Astrid was right there, asking if he was all right. Wait. Why was she here? Why did she care how he was?_

"What… what happened? Why are you guys being so nice to me?" Hiccup asked, panic clear on his face.

Astrid cocked her head. "Hiccup, we were battling Viggo's crew when you got hit on the head with a hammer. Don't you remember?"

Hiccup eyed the black dragon staring at him. "No… but can someone please take care of this dragon? Why aren't you guys capturing him? It's a Night Fury!"

Stoick lifted his brow. "Hiccup, it's Toothless, your dragon. You don't… remember him?"

Hiccup shook his head in bewilderment. "I have a dragon? B-but that's impossible! We fight dragons, we kill them! Why are you all just standing there? He could attack us at any moment!" He was getting frustrated at everyone just watching his outburst. "Why aren't you taking him away?"

Astrid walked up to him, gazing deep into Hiccup's eyes for any trace of recognition. Hiccup barely blinked back. "Hiccup, don't you remember Toothless?" she questioned, shocked. "He's your best friend- he has been for years-... and so am I."

Hiccup stood up from his bed, too surprised to remain sitting. He and _Astrid Hofferson_ were best friends? No way. That was impossible. Astrid would always ignore him if he tried to talk to her, and could barely stand it when he walked by.

"Toothless?" Hiccup asked, the word foreign to his tongue.

The beast perked up, _smiling_ at him.

"Oh, gods," the boy muttered.

And that's when Hiccup fainted.

* * *

He and his ships arrived at Berk that morning.

He couldn't wait to get his hands on Hiccup Haddock. He would _pay_ for all that he did to him.

He ordered his men to hide the ships behind sea stacks, and then they all hiked off into the Berkian woods, using the trees as cover until the time was right. He felt confident in his plan. Now that his small army was hiding in the woods, he could take Hiccup away easily.

Smiling, he leaned against a tree, staring off at Berk in the distance.

"Get ready, Hiccup."

* * *

The next day was horrible for Hiccup.

After he had woken up, Astrid and the other "Dragon Riders" had slowly explained to Hiccup all that occurred. How he shot down Toothless and injured his tail, how Hiccup had eventually befriended the dragon, and how Hiccup lost his leg.

Hiccup could barely believe it all. And this had happened of _him?_

Even after everything had been explained to him, Hiccup didn't trust this "Toothless" dragon. He would watch Hiccup for hours, sometimes licking the boy if he walked by him in Gothi's hut.

Hiccup was on his way home after being released from Gothi, when suddenly Toothless skidded out in front of him, his wide eyes shining. He looked excited, and gestured for Hiccup to… ride him?

Terrified, Hiccup started to walk away, trying to get back home and lock the dragon outside, but Toothless wasn't finished yet. He rammed himself into Hiccup, causing the boy to land on his back.

"What-" Hiccup stuttered, but Toothless was already taking off.

Hiccup screamed, gripping onto the dragon for dear life. Everything was a blur around him as Toothless sprinted, eager to show his master that they were best friends. Hiccup closed his eyes, fearing for the worst. _I knew I shouldn't have trusted dragons, even as little as I had!_ Hiccup thought.

Toothless reached the forest, and maneuvered around the trees with expertise, ready to take Hiccup to the one place where he would surely recognize- the cove.

* * *

He had been hiding in the woods for a day now, waiting. But he didn't rush himself. He was a patient man. He had to be.

Just waiting for that Hiccup boy to stumble into his trap.

Just waiting for everything to fall into place.

Waiting.

And then he spotted a black blur running by in the forest, with a thin figure gripping onto it, yelling all kinds of things.

He smiled. _Hiccup._

* * *

"Dragon! Stop!" Hiccup pleaded, tears forming in his eyes. He felt sick from the rapid speed of the animal, and all he wanted to do was to get off. Toothless didn't stop, though. He had a mission, and he was going to fulfill it.

When they arrived at the cove, Toothless finally stopped running, much to Hiccup's relief. The boy stayed on Toothless for another moment to regain his senses, and then he jumped off, panting. "Why'd you kidnap me, dragon?"

Snorting, Toothless pawed the ground, trying to get his rider to look at the cove.

Hiccup blinked, confused at the dragon's behavior. "What do you want me to-?" He saw the cove. It… it looked vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place the time he had been there. It seemed like a memory, though Hiccup wondered if he had only dreamed about it.

"Now can we go back to town?" Hiccup moaned, standing up straight. "Father and my… my _friends_ will be worried if I don't show up. Please?"

Toothless grumbled, but lowered his head in a show of agreeance. Hiccup breathed out a sigh of relief. _This might not be as hard as I thought…_ And he placed himself back down on the dragon's back. "Um, _go_ , I guess," he said. "Back to Berk."

But Toothless had another idea in mind. Sure, he would take Hiccup back to town… _eventually_. The dragon took off, and he was headed towards the sea this time. Toothless wanted to spend as much time as he could with his rider, and he was going to make that happen.

"D-dragon, w-what are y-you doing?" Hiccup squeaked, clutching onto Toothless harder than before.

Toothless smiled.

Once they got to the cliff that looked over the sea, Toothless didn't stop. Without a blink, the dragon glided over the cliff- to Hiccup's horror-, but he landed on a sea stack instead of diving into the sea, snorting with approval. There. He and his rider could have a whole day to themselves.

Hiccup wasn't feeling too good when he climbed off of Toothless. His head was making him woozy, and the arm that had gotten shot days before was complaining from the ride. He pressed a head to his aching forehead. Now what?

Toothless sat down, looking up at Hiccup expectantly.

 _What does he want me to do?_ Hiccup wondered. _He's just sitting there._

"Can we go back to Berk _now?"_ he requested, fighting to keep his head pain at ease. "I'm not feeling t-too good."

The dragon cocked his head. Maybe he shouldn't have ran that fast..

"Oh… Toothless… I think I'm going to…" Hiccup fell to the ground, fainting. His head wound was the main cause behind it, but the boy had also experienced major shock from the ride with Toothless which affected it as well.

Alarmed, Toothless nudged his rider. Hiccup only let out a groan in reply. Toothless thought of what he should do to help. He could jump off the sea stack, _hopefully_ make it to the cliff, and go get help… if it all worked out. But Toothless didn't want to leave Hiccup alone like this.

 _What should he do…?_

A crack of thunder rang out, and Toothless understood just how dire the situation was now.

There was a storm coming.

Things didn't look good.


	6. Chapter 6

**Second update today! LET'S DO THIS! :)** **I hope you guys are liking where the story is going! Any requests for things to happen? Anyone rooting on Hiccup getting knocked out just** _ **one more time?**_

 ***I yell, "I AM! WHO'S WITH ME?***

 ***silence***

 **Anyways, enjoy Chapter 6! What will Toothless decide to do? Will our unknown villain finally be revealed? Is Hiccup going to be okay?**

 **ANSWERS ARE BELOW! ;)**

* * *

"Hey, Stoick," Astrid greeted, bumping into the chief in town. "Do you know where Hiccup is? I wanted to tell him a little more about what he forgot, but I can't seem to find him anywhere."

Stoick smiled. "Sure, lass. He should be at home, cowering in the corner to hide from Toothless." He chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "That boy has never been more afraid of dragons in his life!"

Astrid frowned, shaking her head. "I already checked there."

The chief paused, confused. "The lad's not there, you say? Hmmm… he was supposed to be released from Gothi's care today, seeing as he's fine- except for the amnesia bit. Have you checked there?"

Astrid nodded. "Yes. He's not in any of the places he usually goes to."

Stoick grew concerned, and he scratched at his beard. "Then what could have happened to him?"

* * *

Toothless stared down at Hiccup, nudging the boy every so often. He had to wake up soon… Hiccup would know what to do when he did. Toothless just had to wait, and everything would be fine… except that there was a storm coming. The dragon wasn't sure he could protect Hiccup against the battering winds and harsh rain.

The sky rumbled again, and Toothless growled at it, like he could get the storm to go away. But the dark clouds remained, making Toothless give up. Maybe there were a few things he couldn't protect his rider against...

Then Hiccup coughed.

Toothless perked up, and bumped his head against Hiccup's. Yes. That was it. Hiccup was waking up, and they would be fine.

"Dad…," Hiccup moaned, his eyes still closed. "Astrid… Mom..."

Toothless whined, trying to get his rider to wake all the way up. That way Toothless could jump both of them back to the cliff, and they would be safe. But until Hiccup woke up, Toothless wasn't going anywhere. Only if things got really bad.

And they soon would.

Hiccup groaned, his eyes fluttering open. His vision was foggy, but he could still make out Toothless's form beside him. "Please… stay away," he breathed. He was in no mood to deal with a dragon right now. He was plain terrified of them. "Go get… go get help…" He winced, his head throbbing much more than before.

Toothless didn't want to go. He wanted to stay with his rider and protect him. The dragon smelled a storm in the air, and it wasn't just going to be a light rain, no. It was going to be a full out thunderstorm. But, if he stayed with Hiccup, his rider wouldn't get the help he needed. It was clear that the boy was suffering from his head wound, and Toothless wasn't sure he'd outlast the storm even with Toothless's protection. Toothless had to act now, or he'd risk losing his rider forever.

Snorting a goodbye to Hiccup, Toothless prepared to leap off the sea stack and back onto the cliff.

He pawed the ground.

 _One…_

 _Two…_

 _Three._

Toothless jumped, soaring through the air- which was impressive, considering that he couldn't fly. He barely made it to the cliff, but when he did, he gripped onto it with his claws, grunting.

What happened next was a blur.

The dragon raced back to the forest, through the trees, and eventually made his way back to Berk, wheezing from the exertion of running. He had to find Astrid and Hiccup's father, or one of the other Dragon Riders. Toothless snorted, making his way to town. Certainly not that Snotlout boy. Toothless had learned that he wasn't the most helpful person.

Once Toothless made it to town, the dragon panted, his head whipping this way and that. _Where was the viking girl and Hiccup's father?_ He desperately looked around, not caring if he bumped into other people.

 _Hiccup… Hiccup…_

Finally, Toothless spotted Astrid and Stoick in town, both talking in worry.

"...could he have gone?" Toothless heard Hiccup's father ask.

Astrid shrugged, her eyes narrowing. "I don't know. Maybe he wandered off into the woods-" Then she saw Toothless.

Toothless bounded up to her, growling in alarm. He had to alert them that his Hiccup was in danger. He had to get them to follow him.

And then the rain started.

It was only a small drizzle, but the sky roared in fury, telling Toothless that there was more to come.

Astrid tried to make out what Toothless was doing in the rain. "Are you trying to tell us something, Toothless? Do you know where Hiccup is?" she asked, having to raise her voice because of the thunder.

Toothless grunted in agreement, starting to walk away. When the others didn't follow, he motioned with his head. _Come on._

"The dragon's trying to take us to Hiccup!" Stoick realized, wiping rain from his brow. "He must be in trouble!"

Astrid nodded. "Take us to Hiccup, Toothless!"

Toothless rumbled, happy they understood. So, he took off running- though not too fast, because humans were very slow- and he led them through the trees, eventually making his way over to the cliff.

Astrid and Stoick arrived, panting. "Hiccup!" Stoick called, glancing around. "Where's Hiccup?"

A low moan answered them from a sea stack ten yards away. Astrid and Stoick noticed a limp form lying down on the top, and they gasped. "Hiccup! What happened?" Astrid called, concern filling her to the brim.

"I… I fainted," coughed Hiccup, slowly turning to them. "My head hurts."

Stoick growled, smacking his knee. "I knew he should have been checked by Gothi one more time… gah!" He kicked the grass, furious.

"It… it wasn't… just my head," Hiccup grunted, sitting all the way up. "T-Toothless kidnapped me and jumped me over h-here… but first he took me to this other place…" What was it called?

A sudden memory hit Hiccup.

 _It was just after the first day of dragon training. Hiccup was searching for the dragon he had seen the day before, when he stumbled upon a cove._

The same cove Toothless had taken him to today.

 _Hiccup bent over, finding a shiny black scale on the ground. He picked the scale up, and studied it. When nothing new appeared, he sighed. "Well, this was stupid."_

 _Suddenly, the Night Fury flashed by him, making Hiccup recoil._

Hiccup blinked out of his memory. "The cove. Toothless took me to the cove." He looked up at Astrid and his father, slowly smiling. "I remember now."

Astrid's eyes widened. "What? How?"

Hiccup grinned, no longer thinking the others were crazy. "I think I had a flashback."

* * *

He had been so close to getting that Hiccup boy.

So very, very close.

Then the rain came, stopping him in his tracks. Next thing he knew, that blasted viking girl Hiccup favored so much came running by with Stoick the Vast. He cursed, backing away into the trees. He'd have to get Hiccup later on.

And next time, he wouldn't fail.

* * *

After Astrid called Stormfly over to the cliff, she flew her dragon to Hiccup, feeling terrible when she saw the boy shivering. _He might have a fever in the morning,_ she mused, biting down on her lip.

Hopefully not.

Astrid helped Hiccup climb onto Stormfly, and soon they were all flying home: Hiccup and Astrid on Stormfly and Stoick on Toothless. Hiccup shivered more as the rain poured down. He felt terrible, with his head pounding and his arm aching relentlessly.

Hiccup was relieved to finally land next to his house, and was assisted inside by Stoick. Astrid said a quick goodbye before flying home, saying that her parents would worry if she stayed there for too long.

Stoick put Hiccup to bed- he had passed out from exhaustion during the flight- and sunk down into a chair in the room, keeping watch over Hiccup. He was going to stay by his boy, and he wouldn't leave for the world.

Toothless remained standing near the doorway, watching Hiccup as well.

A sense of protectiveness filled him. He would stay with the boy and his father as long as they needed him to. Because Toothless was a good dragon.

Unfortunately, Hiccup needed a little more time to learn that.

* * *

 **AHHHHH. CHAPTER 6! I'd be happy to know how you all liked it!** **o, next chapter will mostly be the others trying to get Hiccup to trust dragons again…**

 **Alright, guys, YOU will decide what happens next chapter!**

 **(a) Hiccup is taken to the Dragon Arena and is showed how dragons can help them, but Hiccup is no longer convinced.**

 **(b) Hookfang has something wrong with his teeth (again) and almost bites Hiccup's hand off, therefore Hiccup does not trust dragons anymore.**

 **(c) Hiccup is in the forest when a wild dragon attacks him.**

 **Any way, Hiccup NEEDS to still not trust dragons (if you hadn't noticed that already :D)** **Thanks for reading! Please like, fave, or review!**

 **Sneak peek for next chapter:**

 _Even though it was night out, he could see the Haddock home perfectly from his spot. He drew closer. Closer… closer…_

 _And then he arrived._

 **Love you guys!**

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7, Chapter 7, Chapter 7! XD!** ***squeals***

 **IT'S FINALLY HERE, GUYS. THANKS FOR WAITING. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP ON DECIDING WHAT TO DO FOR THIS CHAPTER. YOU GUYS ARE GREAT! EXTRA LONG CHAPTER FOR ALL OF YOU! NEXT CHAPTER, THE MYSTERIOUS MAN WILL BE REVEALED. IT'S ALL COMING TOGETHER NOW!**

 **So there was a tie between (a) and (b), so it's going to be a combination.**

 **Also, a quick note to all of you: Whenever I say "Hictooth" I mean that they'll just be bonding a lot. Nothing more. I had a misunderstanding with a reader, and I wasn't sure if you guys thought the same thing. I just wanted to make it clear. :)**

 **Shoutouts:**

 **animalsarepeopletoo:** **Hey, thanks! And more Hictooth bonding will be in this chapter:)**

 **AvatarAngel0723:** ***cackles* The villain will be revealed at the end of chapter 8, I think… you will see the horror… THE HORROR!**

 **flopy: ****Glad you like the Hictooth, more will come this chapter!:)**

 **katurdi:** **:D! I'm so glad you like it so far, and I agree- Hiccup needs a good knocking out! You'll see who this 'evil dude' is next chapter;). Clue for my evil cat's name: it rhymes with 'diehiccupdie!' Figure it out yet?;)**

 **SailorMew4: Yeah, Hiccup will keep on semi-remembering stuff along the way, and as for the mysterious person… it's _! AHHHHHHH! SHIELD YOUR EYES AT THE POWER OF _! If you're not satisfied with that… well, I'll go with Astrid. Yeah. Astrid's the anonymous person. Happy now?;) JK, it's not Astrid, as you probably have guessed...**

* * *

When Hiccup woke up the next morning, his head pounded painfully and he ached all over. For a minute, he forgot why he felt so bad, but it soon came back to him: the "Toothless" dragon had kidnapped him yesterday, taking him to a sea stack where Hiccup had fainted, causing his head to hurt even more than usual.

Hiccup grimaced. That hadn't been fun.

He sat up in bed, looking around. His father was slumped over in a chair, snoring very ungracefully, and Toothless was still watching him from the corner. Hiccup sighed. Clearly he hadn't gotten any less protective overnight.

Hiccup slipped out of bed, keeping an eye on the dragon. Maybe he could sneak out of the house and leave Toothless behind…

But, of course, Toothless wasn't going to leave his rider alone again any time soon. The dragon stood up, yawning, and cocked his head at Hiccup like he was saying, _Where are we going today, Hiccup?_

Groaning, Hiccup opened the door. "Stay here, dragon. I'm going out."

Toothless rumbled, pacing over to his rider. He looked up at Hiccup with big, pleading eyes, one which Hiccup couldn't look away from… surely he couldn't disagree with such a beautiful animal...

Hiccup found himself nodding. "Fine. You can come with me. I'm just going to see Astrid. Can you… can you take me there?"

Toothless snorted, walking out the door. Hiccup took that as a yes. After leaving a note to his father saying where he was going, Hiccup followed Toothless outside. The dragon waited for him to climb on, and very hesitantly, Hiccup did.

Toothless took off, happy to be with his master once again. It felt like old times, where they would run around Berk together, so full of content… but this was different. Hiccup didn't remember Toothless or any of the fun times they had together. The dragon was alone in his happiness.

When they got to Astrid's house in under two minutes, Hiccup looked impressed. "Wow, you're fast. Thank you for taking me… _Toothless."_ The dragon smiled back at him, and Hiccup shook his head. "I'm never going to get used to that…"

Before he could walk up to Astrid's hut, the blonde viking burst out, seeming deep in her thoughts. But once she looked up and saw Hiccup and Toothless, she broke into a smile. "You're okay!" Astrid barreled Hiccup into a hug. "I was so worried ever since yesterday. And I see that you and Toothless are getting along better."

Hiccup scratched the back of his head, uneasy. "Yeah, sure. Better. Anyways, I was wondering if you'd like to do anything later on..." Astrid paused, and Hiccup grew worried. _Of course Astrid wouldn't want anything to do with you, Hiccup! You're useless! Plain useless!_

But to his surprise, Astrid smiled. "Sounds great, Hiccup! How about we meet at the Academy later on? I can bring the other riders so we can work on your dragon-trust skills more."

Hiccup was confused. "The Academy…?"

"Oh, yeah. It used to be the dragon killing arena."

Toothless growled at the name, and Hiccup felt surprised. "So, the dragon killing arena is now a place to _train_ dragons?" He raised his brow. "That's just stupid."

Laughing, Astrid began to walk up to Stormfly's living quarters. "It was your idea, Hiccup! You do have some crazy ideas at times. I'll meet you at the Academy later." She opened the shed door, and out came Stormfly, yawning from her sleep. Astrid jumped onto the dragon and nodded down at Hiccup. "See you later!" She took off.

Hiccup watched in awe during the whole thing. _And the dragon didn't even protest when she climbed onto it… amazing!_

Toothless snorted, and Hiccup turned to face him. "Ready to go to the Academy, Toothless?" he said, trying to make the word sound as casual as possible. Toothless's head bounced up and down, making Hiccup chuckle. "Okay… but not at the same speed as yesterday. I don't think I can handle that anymore." He climbed onto the dragon's back. "Let's go."

* * *

He watched the boy from the trees as he jumped on his dragon's back, and the two took off. He frowned. Why weren't they flying?

Now that he thought about it, Hiccup Haddock had been acting a little strange around dragons lately.

Almost… fearful.

Chuckling, he backed away into the forest.

"We'll meet soon, _Hiccup."_

* * *

"Alright, guys, let's start with the training exercise," Astrid announced.

All the Dragon Riders were in the Arena, waiting for the lesson to start.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, let _me_ show Hiccup how it's done," Snotlout said, pushing Astrid out of the way. "Listen here, Dragon Boy. I've always been your hero, and you do everything I say. Got it?"

Hiccup blinked. "Oh-kay?"

"Did I hear a tone, _Hiccup?"_ Snotlout mused, raising his brow. When Hiccup didn't reply, Snotlout nodded. "I thought so. Anyways, you can try starting with Hookfang. He's a perfectly trained dragon, and I'm sure you'll at least come close to getting along."

Hiccup smiled weakly. "Thanks, Snotlout. I really appreciate it."

Tuffnut looked confused, and turned to his sister. "Did _Hiccup_ just thank _Snotlout_?"

Ruffnut crossed her arms. "I think he did…" Her eyes widened. "It must be because of Odin's Reckoning! Why didn't anyone tell us?!"

Tuff hugged himself, weeping. "But I was so young…!"

"Quiet, you two!" Fishlegs scolded, keeping his gaze on Hiccup being led towards Hookfang. "Hiccup has to focus! There's so many things that could go wrong, and it would be best without any distractions!"

Ruffnut walked up to Fishlegs, jabbing her finger in his face. "Listen, Fishlegs! We're all going to die! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE. And all you care about is-"

Astrid barged in. "Ruffnut, quiet. Watch Hiccup, and don't say anything, okay? Do you think you can handle that?" She walked off, rolling her eyes.

"She didn't let us answer," Tuffnut huffed. "Is that a retalkrical question?"

Meanwhile, over where Hiccup was with Snotlout, Hiccup was nervous. He was approaching a Monstrous Nightmare, the most deadliest dragon in the archipelago besides the Night Fury. _Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear…_

"Okay, Hiccup. Do your thing," Snotlout said, crossing his arms. When Hiccup didn't move, Snotlout groaned. "Dragon Boy, we don't have all day. Come on!"

Hiccup swallowed. Here he went…

The boy took a step towards the Monstrous Nightmare, his balled fists shaking with fear. "H-hello, dragon."

"Get him to allow you to pet him," Astrid offered. "Hold your hand out, and look away from his eyes. That shows the dragon that you don't want to hurt him."

Hiccup nodded back, grateful for some feedback. "O-okay…" He held his palm out, turning his head away from Hookfang while hoping for the best. For a moment, the dragon didn't do anything, but he soon pressed his snout against Hiccup's palm.

Relieved, Hiccup sighed, looking back at the dragon. "That wasn't so bad, I guess."

"Scratch him under the chin!" Snotlout grinned. "Hookfang loves that."

It seemed like a good idea to Hiccup, so he nodded. "Thanks." He began to scratch Hookfang's chin, moving upwards. The dragon didn't react at first, but then suddenly he growled, sounding like he was in pain, and Hiccup pulled away. "What did I do?" he squeaked. "I-I didn't mean to…"

Hookfang roared, sending a blast of fire at Hiccup. Fortunately, Hiccup had had his share of close encounters like this, and rolled out of the way. "What the-"

"I've seen this before!" Fishlegs yelled, his eyes wide with understanding. "There must be something wrong with his teeth! Remember how he acted the first time it happened? It's exactly the same!"

"Help... me!" called Hiccup, nearly getting his head burnt to a crisp by Hookfang's fire.

"I'm on it, Hiccup!" Astrid said, running up to Hookfang with determination written all over her face. She ducked as Hookfang almost clawed her to death, and then jumped up near the dragon's mouth. But Astrid couldn't seem to get a clear opening to fix Hookfang's tooth...

Hookfang then decided to change targets. He was after the boy who had made him hurt so much now. Roaring, the dragon leaped over to Hiccup, cornering him against the wall.

Terrified, Hiccup was unable to move because of his fear. _He never should have done this! Stupid, stupid Hiccup! Now he was going to be killed for being so gullible… oh, why hadn't he seen this coming before?_

Toothless was ready, though. He had been worried ever since he rider stepped up to Hookfang. And now that the other dragon was prepared to kill his master… well, let's say that Toothless wasn't going to let Hookfang get away easily.

The Night Fury sent a plasma blast out that hit Hookfang's side. Hookfang roared, falling to the ground. Astrid was on him in an instant, and quickly moved Hookfang's tooth back into a place. A moment later, the dragon licked his mouth, searching for the pain…

It was gone. He was fine now.

Hiccup, on the other hand, was not. He was pressed against the wall with wide eyes, looking ready to faint at any moment. Toothless cooed, alarmed with his rider's state. He started to walk up to him, but Hiccup yelped. "Stay away, dragon," the boy ordered, his voice trembling. "You're not going to kill me that easily."

Toothless cocked his head, sitting down. What did he mean?

"I… I have to go," Hiccup breathed, and darted away. Before he left the Academy, though, he turned to Astrid. "Thanks for trying to help, but dragons will always be killers in my opinion. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to continue training. Please take Toothless for the night… again, I'm sorry." And then he left.

Fishlegs gasped. "Hiccup's not going to trust dragons again? That's… that's impossible! He's practically part dragon himself!"

Astrid shook her head, keeping an eye on Toothless. "I guess, all we can do now is hope for the best."

An icy silence filled the group.

How had the Friend of Dragons become so afraid?

* * *

Hiccup stayed alone all afternoon, until night finally came. His father never stopped asking, "Hiccup, are you alright? What happened?"

Hiccup never gave a straight answer.

Finally, the boy was ready to go to sleep. He was sure he'd have nightmares, but it was better than staying awake and reliving the moment when Hookfang cornered him over and over again. He blew out his candle with a quick puff, and fell into an uneasy sleep.

His dreams would not be kind tonight.

* * *

Even though it was night out, he could see the Haddock home perfectly from his spot. He drew closer. Closer… closer…

And then he arrived.

In one minute, he climbed up the side of the hut with surprising agility, and then dropped into Hiccup Haddock's room. He walked over to the bed, looking down at the boy.

"Time to come with me now, Hiccup," he growled.

He knocked the boy out with a crushing blow to the head.

Then, with Hiccup tucked under his arm, he left.

* * *

 **Now, is it evil laugh time? I think it is!** ***laughs evilly* *grins***

 **Cliffhangers are so… amazing! (Maybe not for you, but for me, totally! :D)**

 **Will the mysterious man will be revealed next chapter? Will Hiccup have another flashback? YOU GOTTA WAIT TO SEE!**

 **By the way, sorry for the typo last chapter where there were two B's instead of one being a C! *laughs* I know that must have been confusing, but thanks for still reviewing!**

 **Also, I have announcements:**

 **(1) Once I reach 50 follows, I will do an EXTRA EXTRA long chapter for HTTYH.**

 **(2) Once I reach 50 faves, I will write a holiday special story- of my own pick- with 10 chapters.**

 **(3) Once I reach 5,000 views (I can check) I will randomly pick a new story suggestion and write it!**

 **So, spread the word!** **See ya next chapter!**

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	8. Chapter 8

**Are you guys ready for another chapter?:) *silence* Weeeeelll, I'm writing it anyways! Thanks for sticking through the last cliffhanger!**

 **And if you didn't see it at the bottom of last chapter, I have some exciting announcements!:**

 **(1) Once I reach 50 follows, I will do an EXTRA EXTRA long chapter for HTTYH.**

 **(2) Once I reach 50 faves, I will write a holiday special story- of my own pick- with 10 chapters.**

 **(3) Once I reach 5,000 views (I can check) I will randomly pick a new story suggestion and write it!**

 **SPREAD THE WORD!**

 **Shoutouts:**

 **animalsarepeopletoo: ****I'm glad you think so! And yes, I will be updating as fast as I can, so no worries!**

 **katurdi:** **Hehehe… yep, cliffhangers are my thing;). And, no. My cat's name is Blueberry Pie. It rhymes with "diehiccupdie", see? (I'm just joking, I don't have a cat, but I DO have five dachshunds!)**

 **FanWriter02: ****I'm sorry for the cliffhangers, but I can't help myself**

 **HiccupZain: ****Glad you thought so! I'm relieved you like the story:). Oh, and last night I re-read the story so far and I was like "WHAT THE HECK, THIS IS TERRIBLE!", but it could be just me *laughs to self***

 **XMoreMinutes: ****Hey, I'm glad you like it!**

 **AvatarAngel0723:** **Heh heh, I'm glad you liked the Hictooth moment and I apologize for ruining it with Hookfang, but it had to happen! You'll see why in perhaps late Chapter 9 to Chapter 10. :)**

* * *

The first thing Hiccup knew was that his head hurt.

And it wasn't just because of his previous head wound. It felt like he had been slammed by a hammer all over again. For a few minutes, he was unable to open his eyes, and was trapped in the dense darkness.

 _I need to wake up,_ Hiccup thought, becoming more desperate by the second. _I need to know what happened. Why do I feel so bad?_

It was difficult, but he managed to open up his eyes after a few moments, only to find everything dark. _Am I blind?_ Hiccup thought, sitting up. His fears were soon erased when the room slowly came in focus. He seemed to be… in a cell.

A cell?

"Where am I?" Hiccup muttered. He was even more surprised to find that he was lying in the dirt, no longer in his warm bed. Standing up, the boy limped over the the cell's bars, peering out. He didn't remember being kidnapped, or having any enemies who would _want_ to kidnap a runt like him.

"Hello?" Hiccup called into the darkness. The only response came from his pounding head, and Hiccup was forced to lean against the wall, panting. He was really worrying now. Why had he been taken from his home? He didn't remember doing anything insulting to the neighboring tribes…

Except being born.

Hiccup groaned. One of the tribes of the archipelago must have been against having a runt as a Viking, and decided to kidnap him. He was going to die, no matter what. Heartbroken, Hiccup slid down to the floor in shock. He hadn't expected to die this young… and certainly not this way…

A sudden flashback hit him.

 _He was standing on one of Berk's hills, staring down at his father who was leaving him on a viking ship, Toothless in tow. Hiccup felt sadness wash through him, though he didn't know why. Then Astrid came over. Hiccup was too depressed to care._

' _It's a mess," she said, shaking her head. Hiccup didn't respond, but Astrid continued anyway. "You must feel horrible. You've lost everything. Your father, your tribe, your best friend…"_

" _Thank you for summing that up," Hiccup replied sarcastically. He paused. "Why couldn't I have killed that dragon when I found him in the woods? It would have been better for everyone."  
_  
 _Astrid bit her lip. "Yep. The rest of us would have done it." She waited a beat. "So why didn't you?"_

 _Hiccup only shook his head. He really didn't know._

 _But Astrid wouldn't stop. "Why didn't you?_

" _I don't know. I couldn't."_

" _That's not an answer."_

 _Hiccup became irritated at Astrid's prodding. "Why is this so important to you all of a sudden?"_

 _Remaining calm, Astrid studied Hiccup intently. "Because I want to remember what you say, right now."_

The memory faded, drawing a gasp from Hiccup. This had happened before? When? Why?

And most importantly, why didn't he kill the dragon in the forest, even if he had the perfect chance?

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps coming down the hall alerted Hiccup to be fearful again, but he was too weak to stand.

The footsteps got closer…

And closer…

And then they stopped. Right in front of Hiccup's cell.

With a gulp, Hiccup turned to face his captor.

There was a large man standing there. His expression was as solid as stone, and he had thick eyebrows, a mustache, and a little beard. Hiccup cocked his head. He didn't recognize the man as one of the Viking tribe leaders…

So who was he?

"Hello, _Hiccup,"_ the man said, a Viking accent thick in his tone. "Remember me?"

Hiccup narrowed his eyes, his thoughts searching for a memory which he could relate to. None came. "Uh, actually I don't."

"Don't play games with me, Hiccup Haddock. You know who I am."

Hiccup shrugged, a little uneased by the man's dark mood. "I really don't. I'm sorry, but I-I can't remember much of anything lately. Apparently I got hit on the head with a hammer during a fight with these 'Dragon Hunters', and now I don't remember any memories leading up to the time I found my... my dragon."

The last part was hard to say. He no longer wanted a dragon to call his own.

The man paused, and Hiccup sensed that he was trying to gather his thoughts. "You don't remember anything, eh? That seems highly unlikely, Hiccup. I know how your mind works, but your tricks won't work on me."

Hiccup flinched. "I'm not-"

" _No more games, Hiccup!"_ the man shouted, his face red as he gripped the cell's bars. "You took away everything, _everything_ from me! And I'm going to make you pay." A sneer widened on his face. "Because no one gets away with hurting me. Not even someone as clever as you, Hiccup."

* * *

Ever since Stoick was woken by a thump in Hiccup's room, he couldn't find Hiccup anywhere.

At first, he wasn't worried. The boy was probably out with Toothless, taking a midnight flight which they always loved to do. Yes, it turned out the chief knew about them, but he allowed Hiccup to sneak away unnoticed at times anyway. It was good for the lad, and he had done the same thing when he was younger (except for entirely different reasons).

But, after a couple of minutes of thinking about it, Stoick realized- and you have to remember that he wasn't the brightest viking- that Hiccup was still scared of Toothless. After all, the boy had amnesia, and was plain terrified of the beasts.

As Stoick thought more about Hiccup's arrival when he had come home earlier, the boy hadn't brought Toothless inside. _Maybe it had something to do with how scared Hiccup was acting once he came back from his afternoon with Astrid,_ Stoick mused, scratching his chin as he paced the living room floor.

 _Maybe something happened with Toothless, and Hiccup wanted the dragon away from him for a bit. That means that Hiccup isn't with his dragon._

So, that left only one question:

 _Where was Hiccup now?_

* * *

"I'm going to ask you one more time," the man spat, grabbing Hiccup from the collar of his shirt. "Are you ready to stop hiding behind your lies and face your fate like a true viking? We haven't got all night, now do we?"

Hiccup whimpered, trying to back away, but he was locked into place.

What now? "I really don't know who you are," he said truthfully.

The man pulled Hiccup closer to the bars, causing Hiccup to cry out when his head pulsed in a painful way. His vision faltered.

"P-please, I'm telling the truth," Hiccup stuttered, trying not to yelp again. "I really don't remember anything. Like I said before, during a battle I hit my head, and now I don't remember anything from the past few years. You have to believe me."

"Well, I'm not a very trusting person. You _better_ remember something soon, Hiccup or you're in for a hard time. A very hard time, indeed."

Hiccup looked up at the man. _I have to remember, I have to remember… my life depends on it._

For a minute, Hiccup stared, trying to figure out where he had seen the man before. He looked so, so very familiar. But who was he?

A memory flashed back, for the second time that night.

 _He was staring up at two men from his uncomfortable seat in a wooden room. Hiccup noticed that his arms were tied up. One of the men in the room was bulkier than the other, but he seemed to be outranked by the smaller man. They both seemed familiar… like he had seen them before… and that somewhere wasn't good._

The first man's name came to Hiccup's mind.

"Viggo," he murmured.

And the man before him right now to him… well, he looked exactly the same as the other man in the flashback . Hiccup closed his eyes. What was his name? What was his name?

Another memory hit Hiccup. It was much different than the one before, and the boy stumbled back in shock.

No, no! That was impossible. How could that man be the same as the one standing in front of him?

Hiccup's eyes widened, and he stared at the man before him in horror.

"You're Ryker! And you're supposed to be dead!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Are you guys ready for this?! The BIG STEP UP?** **I hope you are, because IT IS COMING. THE ANSWERS ARE COMING.**

 **Sorry for the short chapter yesterday! I was exhausted, but I still wanted to get another chapter up there. Don't worry- this chapter will be longer! But still- no break from cliffhangers!** **Speaking of cliffhangers, last night I couldn't remember how to say it. I was like "steep hanger? Rock hanger?" My mind had just broken from a long day. *chuckles***

 **Shoutouts:**

 **SailorMew4:** **Ryker isn't the only one they should be worried about…*cackles***

 **katurdi:** **Heh, well at least now you know. I'm sorry about the cliffhanger, but let me give you a warning: THIS CHAPTER CLIFFHANGER ONLY GETS WORSE;)**

 **animalsarepeopletoo:** **Yep, in this chapter Ryker's survival will be explained. And I'm trying to update as fast as I can;). And thanks for undertstanding my position. I AM exhausted from all of this: school, 3 stories from fanfiction, the rest of life…**

 **XMoreMinutes:** **Thanks, I just like to mention everyone because they really did help me! And I WILL keep writing. 1-2 updates a day for this, guys!:)**

 **rubberbandgal: Aw, thanks! Sorry, but cliffhangers are kind of my thing;) And I'm doing okay. Just have to do a bunch of math, English, and History *growls***

 **Now. CHAPTER 9...**

* * *

Astrid knew something was wrong the moment she heard pounding at her door. Her first reaction was to turn over and go back to sleep- after all, it was the middle of the night- but when the pounding grew more consistent, Astrid groaned, getting out of bed.

"I'm coming, I'm coming," she grunted, making her way to the door.

When she opened it, she was surprised to see Stoick the Vast standing there. "Hi," she said, rubbing her eyes. "What do you need? Does Hiccup want Toothless back? I'd be happy to release him."

And she would. Astrid had had to lock Toothless away with Stormfly in the barn because the Night Fury wouldn't stop pacing her floor. Astrid knew he was worried about Hiccup, but it got to the point where Astrid had been unable to sleep, therefore having to banish the dragon to stay with Stormfly.

"No, it's not that," Stoick disagreed, his tone worried.

Of course, that got Astrid worried too. "What? Did something happen?" She nearly cursed herself for not going to see Hiccup again. She should have checked in on how he was doing after the incident with Hookfang. He might have needed her, and she hadn't been there.

"Hiccup's… missing," Stoick sighed, his forehead wrinkles more profuse on his skin. "I've checked all over the house and town. He's not here."

Astrid froze, her heart thudding loudly. "What?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Did you check the boats yet? Hiccup could have stolen a rowboat to get out of here… he had a nasty experience with Hookfang yesterday, and might have wanted to escape."

The chief lifted his brow. "What kind of incident?"

"Well, there was something wrong with Hookfang's tooth again, and he nearly burnt Hiccup into a crisp. Hiccup didn't take to that too well."

Stoick ran a hand down his face. "No wonder he wouldn't tell me… but all the same. I already checked the boats, and they're all accounted for. Plus, I didn't see any footprints leading outside my house, so Hiccup didn't leave through the front door."

Astrid frowned. "Could he have climbed out the window? Maybe he ran into the woods to be alone for a little while. He _was_ nearly annihilated by Hookfang yesterday. He would've wanted to go somewhere where he could piece out his thoughts."

"But that's just the thing," Stoick said. "Why would the boy be so secretive about it?"

Shaking her head, Astrid didn't answer. Why _would_ Hiccup do anything like this? Even before, when he was Hiccup the Useless, he never would have ran away. Not when he knew everyone was going to look for him.

Astrid rubbed her chin. "So where exactly did Hiccup go?"

* * *

Ryker grinned at Hiccup cruelly, his silver teeth nearly glowing in the dim light.

"Correct, Hiccup."

He finally released his grip on Hiccup's shirt.

"But… how?" asked Hiccup, his eyes wide. "I remember you being on a ship that was sinking. You should have died… how are you here?"

Ryker darkened, his eyes narrowing at the past memory. "Once my ship sunk, I knew I was in serious trouble. Water was everywhere. I couldn't breathe as I got closer and closer to the bottom of the sand. But I knew that if I gave up, I'd die. So I decided to release my hold from the ship and hope for the best." He gaze lowered down to his left leg.

Hiccup noticed that it was in a splint. _It must be broken… I wonder how that happened._

Ryker went on with his speech. "Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned."

Hiccup bit his lip. "What happened after that?"

"I was drowning. I knew I'd never make it to the top, but…" Ryker paused, trying to give the exact details. "A Thunderdrum was passing by in the water. He was hungry, so he decided to take a nice big chomp down on my leg." The man chuckled grimly. "He crushed it, but in the process, he also brought me up to the surface. After I made it to land, I killed the beast."

Hiccup didn't even blink.

Ryker frowned. "Aren't you supposed to go on about how dragons are our friends, and we shouldn't hurt them?" When Hiccup stared at him blankly in return, Ryker shook his head. "Well, you did it before…"

"Well, I also I told you that I don't remember anything."

"As you keep saying… anyways, I killed the dragon and used its fat to survive upon for weeks until I had built a raft, which would hopefully lead back to one of Viggo's bases." Ryker paused. "I managed to get there, almost dying several times in the process. When I did, though, I learned that my brother had been killed by you, Hiccup Haddock."

Hiccup furrowed his brow. "Me? No, I could never kill someone."

"Well, you did, according to what remains of my crew…" Ryker's fists clenched. "You took away everything, Hiccup. Everything. My plans, my brother, my whole fleet of men… barely even a memory now. All because of you. One runty boy who couldn't keep his nose out of our business…"

"I really didn't mean to do whatever I did," Hiccup apologized, rubbing his head. "I told you- I can't remember anything I did before. Isn't there someway you could believe me? If you got one of the other 'Dragon Riders', then-"

"Well, isn't it your lucky day, 'iccup?" Ryker sneered, straightening. "I just so happen to have one of your crew, and then we'll see then whether or not you're lying." The man looked over at something- or rather, _someone-_ in the darkness. "Bring him out! And turn on some lights. I can barely see anything."

A moment later, a few torches were lit, and Hiccup saw a few of Ryker's men standing around the area. Hiccup saw who their captive was: a scrawny boy who looked to be twelve at most. The boy looked up at Hiccup, his eyes widening. "Hiccup! They got you too!"

Cocking his head, Hiccup frowned. "Who are you again?"

The boy's mouth dropped open in shock. "H-Hiccup, it's me! Gustav Larson! Head of the Dragon Rider Auxiliary Team at age sixteen..." He paused. "You don't remember me? Why not…? Oh!" Gustav made a show of slapping his forehead with his hand. "I remember: you lost your memory after being hit by a hammer in the head!"

Hiccup was surprised that this Gustav boy knew so much. He didn't recognize him at all. "I-I… yeah." He turned to Ryker, holding his breath. "Now do you believe me? If this boy says so too, it can't be 'one of my tricks'."

Ryker growled, finally coming to a point which he did not expect to arrive at. _Could Hiccup Haddock be telling the truth? Could he really have lost his memory of everything that happened with Viggo and I?_ he thought.

Scowling, Ryker crossed his arms. "I'm afraid not yet, Hiccup. I'll have to do a thorough _examination_ with Gustav Larson." He cracked his knuckles, walking over to the boy. "So, are you telling the truth, _Gustav?"_

The boy gulped, unable to run away due to one of Ryker's men that had a firm grip on his left arm. "I am. We were fighting some of your ships a few days ago, and we won. One of your captains was captured, but he managed to hit Hiccup on the head with a hammer before he was taken away. Hiccup got amnesia after that. I'm telling the truth! Now, are we done yet?"

Ryker took a step towards Gustav, his expression cold.

"Not yet, boy. Not yet."

* * *

Dawn came too late for Astrid's liking.

Nevertheless, she didn't spare a minute before jumping on Stormfly to go scout for Hiccup. Toothless had to be left behind, though, and the dragon wasn't happy about it at all. When he learned of his missing rider, Toothless had nearly trampled the barn flat.

But, after two hours of Astrid searching around Berk, Hiccup was nowhere to be found.

With a tired sigh, Astrid landed Stormfly next to Stoick's hut, prepared to give the chief the bad news. She felt nervous as she walked up to the door. How would Stoick react to learn that even with Astrid's keen sight and Stormfly's sharp sense of smell, they _still_ couldn't find Hiccup?

Astrid knocked on the door, her palms sweaty.

Only a moment later did Stoick come out, his eyes showing that he clearly hoped it was someone else than her. When he saw it was just Astrid, the chief seemed to deflate in size. "Oh, hello, Astrid. I was hoping you were Hiccup. He's late for breakfast, you know, and I don't like the boy skipping meals… anyways, any sight of him?"

The girl bit her lip. "No, sorry. I couldn't find anything. It's like he just… vanished."

Stoick sighed, shaking his head. "You better gather the rest of the Riders, and the auxiliary team. If Hiccup's missing, this must be serious. My boy wouldn't take off without leaving a note of such. No, he's better than this…"

"Well… that was the old Hiccup," Astrid said, trying not to break the news to the chief too quickly. "The new Hiccup doesn't remember anything that happened in these past few years. All he knows is that all of Berk thinks he's useless, and that he almost got killed the other day. I think… well…"

"Are you suggesting that, out of his own free will, Hiccup ran away?" Stoick asked, looking to not have thought of it before. "Astrid, that's-"

" _Not_ out of the question," Astrid interrupted, wincing. "But, Stoick, until we find further proof of that, don't worry. I'm sure Hiccup will turn up somewhere. He always does." She nodded up at the chief, starting to walk back to Stormfly. "I'll go and get the other riders. We need all the hands we can get to find Hiccup."

Stoick, relieved, smiled. "Thank you, Astrid. You're a good lass."

"Well, I just want to find Hiccup. He's… he's my best friend." _He_ was _your best friend,_ her thoughts snapped back as Astrid climbed onto Stormfly. _He barely remembers you now. He doesn't remember all the great times you had together…_

"No," Astrid whispered, blinking back a tear. "He's going to remember. He will. I'm not giving up on him." Stormfly shifted on her feet with impatience, and Astrid nodded. "You can go now, girl. We're going to get the other riders and find Hiccup."

With a caw of agreeance, Stormfly took off into the blue sky.

* * *

Ryker had kept Hiccup and Gustav awake for hours, endlessly asking them question after question. "Tell me exactly what happened again!" Ryker demanded, glaring at Hiccup. "I need to see if your story matches up with his." He gestured to Gustav.

Hiccup yawned, barely able to keep his eyes open. "I already told you this four times already, Ryker. Why do I need to-"

"DO IT!" the man roared, rattling the cell bars. "And if your story is even the slightest bit different, I swear… I will kill you and the other boy." He smiled, his eyes narrowing. "But no pressure, _Hiccup."_

Sighing, Hiccup rubbed his eyes. He began his story again, about how he had woken up with no idea why everyone was being so nice to him, and how shocked he had been when he realized his leg was missing. All he remembered from before that was being Hiccup the Useless, an embarrassment to the Hooligan Tribe.

Once he was done, Hiccup felt like fainting. If Ryker made him tell everything again one more time, he was sure he'd pass out. _When will this end? Why does Ryker care so much? I barely even know him… but he clearly knows me..._

"Well, well, well, Hiccup. Unfortunately, your story matches from before…" Ryker growled. "I'm going to leave you two to sleep, now, and when I come back, I'll have made a decision about whether you live or die."

Gustav swallowed.

"Put him with Hiccup," Ryker ordered the guard holding Gustav. "They could use the quality time together, if I decide to kill them." He smirked. "Or _when."_

Hiccup's cell door was opened, and Gustav tumbled inside. The guard chuckled when Gustav grunted as he hit the dirt. The guard slammed the door shut, locking it.

"Move out, men," Ryker ordered, preparing to walk out of the prison area. "We'll decide what to do with the runts next…"

"Hey! I'm not a runt!" Gustav protested, jumping up. "I'm just thin-boned! That happens to a lot of people!"

Ryker laughed, but didn't even bother to turn around. "Have a nice sleep, boys. It might be your last." And then he was gone.

Silence filled the corridors, making Hiccup feel uneasy. "We should get some sleep," he said to Gustav, lying down on his side. "If Ryker does decide to kill us, we need as much strength as we can get to fight back."

Gustav nodded, dragging himself to lean against the wall. "Well, you're the expert here, Hiccup! You've been kidnapped too many times to count, so I'm sure you know what you're doing."

Hiccup looked at Gustav strangely. "I haven't been kidnapped before."

Gustav laughed. "You've got a lot to remember."

* * *

Hiccup woke with a stiff back and a sore head. He had been woken by footsteps coming outside… getting closer to his cell… _Ryker,_ Hiccup thought sitting up. He winced, regretting it when his head pounded.

"Wakey, wakey," Ryker called, chuckling. "I have some news."

Gustav groaned, slumped against the wall in sleep. "Five more minutes, Mom… I'm up in the clouds with Astrid…" He sighed dreamily, and his voice turned singsongy. "Oh, Astrid, Astrid, Astrid... "

"Wake up!" Ryker roared, unamused.

Gustav jolted in shock, his eyes snapping open. "Wh-what? Oh, no, did Fanghook eat the roast beef again? I _knew_ I should have fed him more for dinner!"

"No, Gustav," said Hiccup quietly. "Ryker's made his decision."

Gustav blinked, his eyes dawning with understanding. "Oh… I should be quiet now."

"Yes," Ryker growled. "You should." He paused before going on, eyeing the two boys. "I have made a recent decision based upon your stories. They both lined up…" He sighed, as if he didn't like his choice. "As for my decision... I won't kill you."

Hiccup let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. But his relief vanished as he asked his question. "So, what are you going to do to us?"

Ryker grinned. "There's two choices, and you both can choose separately. One: I release you."

Narrowing his eyes, Hiccup frowned. "Release us? Why?"

"I _meant_ release you into a pit of poisonous snakes. A certain death, but better than the other option."

Hiccup stiffened. "What's the other option?"

"Joining me." Ryker truly looked evil in that moment, and even though they had poor light down here, they could see his eyes glitter. "You'd be a traitor to your friends, and I know how you'd hate to do that, now wouldn't you?" He stopped. "Right, Hiccup? What d'you say?"

The boy's mind raced for answers.

 _What to choose? Be a traitor to people he barely knew... or die?_

* * *

 **WHAT IN THE NAME OF ODIN WAS I THINKING? WHY DID I LEAVE OFF HERE FOR YOU GUYS? YOU POOR, POOR SOULS… kind of. *shrug* Hey, cliffies is what I do! :D**

 **Anyways, thank you for reviewing and following last chapter! Remember: 50 follows, 50 faves, and 5000 views means a REALLY LONG CHAPTER of HTTYH, a Christmas special story about HTTYD (featuring stories for ALL the holidays), and a new story! (By the way, we are at 2,000 views. AWESOME:))**

 **Will Hiccup make the right decision, or choose to be a traitor? Will Astrid, Stoick, and the other riders reach him before Hiccup makes a mistake he can't come back from?** **The following chapters will be up fall of 2019!**

 **See ya later!**

 **-thepurplewriter333**

* * *

 **(I'm just kidding, sorry for giving anyone a heart attack. ;) Chapter 10 will be up later today)**


	10. Chapter 10

**AHHHHHHHH. You guys are all freaking out on me from the last chapter! I'm sorry for the wait (or am I ;)?), but more will come this chapter, not to fear! THEPURPLEWRITER333 is here!**

 **ANYWAY, Thank you all for reviewing, following, and faving!** **Also, I think I figured out my theme song 'cause I'm evil for leaving these cliffhangers!** **It's Be Prepared, Scar's song from The Lion King!**

* * *

 ** _So prepare for the cliffhanger of the century_**

 ** _Be prepared for the Hiccup!whumpiest scare_**

 ** _Evil planning, tenacity spanning_**

 ** _Reviews of denial is simply what I'll post there_**

 ** _Many cliffhangers disputed, yelled at, prosecuted_**

 ** _And seen for the evil writer I am_**

 ** _Yes, my keyboard and ambitions are there-_**

 ** _Be prepared!_**

 ** _Yes, my intention is to give you a scare-_**

 ** _Be prepared!_**

* * *

 **Shoutouts:**

 **animalsarepeopletoo** **: Nope. I will never NOT do a cliffhanger! Yeah, and I REALLY LOVED your story "Eye of the Storm." FOR ANYONE ELSE READING THIS, YOU NEED TO READ 'EYE OF THE STORM.' IT'S AMAZING.**

 **BlueCookiesforRick** **: Yep, that cliffhanger was DEFINITELY one of the worst. And yes, Hiccup will have a flashback… but NOT one that you expect.**

 **katurdi** **: Hehe, I thought that author's note would scare some of you guys;). As for whether Hiccup will join Ryker or not… you shall see!**

 **AvatarAngel0723** **: *laughs* I wouldn't say EVIL. I'm an evil WR** **ITER, but not an evil person. ;) So, I can't really do a bunch of Hiccstrid and Hictooth right now- seeing that Hiccup is kidnapped-, but (SPOILER) I promise THEY WILL COME TO HIM SOON. And cliffhangers are my thing! No one can sway me otherwise… NO ONE!**

* * *

"Tick tock, Hiccup," Ryker whispered, his eyes intense with fire. "You have five minutes to decide. I'll leave you alone to confide in your comrade what you'll choose in the end." He turned away, walking down the hall until he disappeared from the boys' line of sight.

Once he was gone, Gustav revealed how panicked he actually was. "What are we going to do, Hiccup?" he whimpered, hugging himself. "I don't wanna die… I never got to tell Hookfang that he was the best dragon ever... or that I loved my parents… or tell Astrid that she _does_ deserve me..."

"Hey, don't worry..." Hiccup was going to smile until that last comment. He was uncomfortable speaking with this boy who clearly knew him, but Hiccup had no clue what had gone on between them. He didn't remember much about Gustav, but he was still a kid, and Hiccup wanted to protect him from Ryker's wrath. "We'll find a way out of this."

"How, though?" Gustav sniffed. "We can't choose to be traitors. We'd ruin the proud Berkian name!"

"If only we belonged there…" Hiccup said darkly, looking away. He wasn't sure if he was willing to die for the Vikings that had shunned him until he had done something big. Trained a dragon, he was told. _And why should I sacrifice myself for them? Even if I do join Ryker, it's not like I know anything that could hurt Berk in the long run._

A beat passed, and Hiccup realized a possibility.

 _Wait, if I join Ryker, he could use me as a hostage and threaten to kill me unless Dad exchanged all of Berk._ Hiccup shook his head, brushing the thought aside without a doubt of the answer. _No, Stoick the Vast, the Great Chief of Berk would never care if a fishbone like me died. He's said it before. I'm different. The others called me useless. He's got a tribe to run, and I'd just be in the way._

"Gustav... what if we did choose to be traitors?" Hiccup asked, glancing back over to watch his cell mate's reaction.

The boy looked like he'd be shot. "Hiccup! How could you even think that?! You're the son of the chief, the great Dragon Rider, the fearless warrior who defeated the Red Death, and now you're considering to become a _traitor_?" Gustav furrowed his brow. "I know you don't think anyone cares about you now, Hiccup. I know you've lost your memory, and you're confused about where your loyalties lie, but believe me: the old Hiccup would have never chosen to betray his friends and his tribe. He would've died first. And I admired that. I hope he's still in there, Hiccup. I truly do." With that, Gustav turned away, his head leaning against the wall. "I think I'm going to choose to be thrown in the snake pit. At least then I'll have an honorable death… Maybe Astrid will even cry for me! Oh- I mean, of course she'll cry. It'll be the loss of one of Berk's finest Vikings!" He came back to the present conversation at Hiccup's raised eyebrows. "You know, Hiccup, one time I was captured by Dagur, and he was going to throw me to the eels. It was because I… I bragged that I had invaluable information. I told him all the Dragon Eye-"

"The... Dragon Eye?"

"Yeah. You named it that. It's a device that shows you where to find all different types of islands where dragons live, but it's gone now. Anyways, Dagur wanted it, and he also wanted to kill you… he, um… well, _I_ offered to be bait so you would come and give Dagur what he wanted. I was a traitor, and I felt horrible afterwards. I didn't know what I had gotten myself into, honest… I just… I don't want you to feel the same way, Hiccup. It's my biggest regret in life," Gustav said. "After I was saved from Dagur- by you, of course- you taught me something very important. I should never give into my enemies. Even when I may lose my life in the end." He paused, giving Hiccup a furtive look, like he was wondering if his words had any effect. "And, Hiccup, I hope you'll understand that, too."

* * *

"He's not anywhere!" Fishlegs agonized, flying over to Astrid on Meatlug. "I checked all over the south side of the forest, and there's absolutely no trace of him! But, uh, Astrid…" He revealed a handful of dragon root arrows. "I did find these..."

Astrid gasped, grabbing one from Fishlegs' palm. She inspected it closely, and then saw a familiar crest engraved on it. She recognized it... it was Viggo's emblem. A heavy feeling of dread enclosed her. "Fishlegs... do you think Hiccup was kidnapped?"

Fishlegs let out a high pitched sound of distress.

"We'd better show these to Stoick," Astrid told her friend, directing Stormfly towards the Haddocks' hut, Meatlug and Fishlegs trailing behind them. "He's the chief. He'll know what to do. And maybe Hiccup wasn't even kidnapped... they could just be leftover arrows from… from..."

"From what, Astrid?" Fishlegs sighed. "Dragon Hunters never came to Berk before, so these arrows aren't old. How else could they have gotten all the way in the middle of the woods? No matter how much you deny it, Astrid, you know the truth... Dragon Hunters were here."

Astrid swallowed, fighting back her spiking nerves. She couldn't afford to be anxious. "And, if we're right...," she said, nudging her Nadder to fly a bit faster. Thor, she hoped they weren't right... "Well... then Hiccup is in _serious_ trouble..."

* * *

"I think I've decided," Hiccup told Gustav, trying to make conversation with the boy. He felt bad for insulting Berk before, and he felt that Gustav was hurt-after all, he seemed to be very firm patriot. "What to choose, that is."

Gustav's head finally turned to face him. "You're going to decide to betray everyone, huh? I could have guessed."

"No, Gustav," Hiccup hissed. "I'm going to choose to die."

His eyes flashing in surprise, Gustav sat all the way up. "What? But I thought you said-"

"I know what I said. I changed my mind, though."

Gustav fell back against the wall with relief. "Good… for a minute there, I thought I was going to die all alone." He shivered. "That would have been lonely. But now, we'll both die together, as brave warriors who never broke under pressure, even when faced with death!"

Hiccup stifled a chuckle at the boy's enthusiasm. "No, we're not going to die. We're going to fight our way out of here, and then we'll go back home. Then we'll be safe… and hopefully, someday I'll get my memories back. Until then, we'll have to wait it out."

"Great idea, Hiccup!" Gustav whisper-cheered. "This is better than I expected! So, how are we going to break out?"

Faltering, Hiccup shook his head. "Actually… I'm not so sure about that part yet."

* * *

"Stoick!" Astrid cried, bursting into his hut. "We think we might know where Hiccup is!"

Stoick looked up from pacing the room, eyes flooding with relief. "By Odin's Ghost, that's fantastic, lass! So, where is my boy?" He chuckled, shaking his head. "Hiding away from Hookfang somewhere faraway, eh? I should have known…"

"No, Stoick," Fishlegs began, his hands shaking nervously. "W-we found dragon root arrows in the woods… Viggo's, to be more specific. He might have taken Hiccup."

Stoick's face went ghastly pale, and he stumbled back. "Viggo? I thought he was dead!"

"We did too," Astrid admitted, crossing her arms. "But we found the arrows, and…" She shrugged. "Nothing's for certain yet. We don't even know if it's Viggo, or if it's just some of the Dragon Hunters looking for revenge on Hiccup."

Stoick didn't seem to hear her, and headed towards the door. "Gather the rest of the Riders!" he demanded. "We're going to find my boy, no matter what."

* * *

"What do you mean, you don't have a plan?" Gustav whined, smothering Hiccup with his over-excessive neediness. "You always have a plan. You're Hiccup Haddock! There's not a case where you don't escape from-"

"Yeah, well, that was the old Hiccup," Hiccup interrupted, standing up. He looked down at the boy. "I'm new to this… hero business. I need time to think. I-" Suddenly, Hiccup stumbled back, and his legs buckled. He landed on the floor just as a flashback appeared.

 _In the flashback, Hiccup was standing in the Great Hall with his father. There seemed to be a tense feeling in the air. "Dad. It's not what you think," Hiccup began. "You don't know what you're up against. It's like nothing you've ever seen." As Stoick started to walk away, he grabbed his father by the arm, tugging with all his might. "Dad. Please. I promise you that you can't win this one."_

 _Stoick did not reply._

 _Hiccup went on, determined to stop his father from going on a suicide mission. "No. Dad. No. For once in your life, WOULD YOU PLEASE JUST LISTEN TO ME?!"_

 _Suddenly, Stoick threw Hiccup off of him, swatting the boy to the floor. There was an icy stillness. Hiccup stared at Stoick, shocked with his behavior._

 _Stoick glared down at Hiccup. "You've thrown your lot in with them. You're not a Viking." A beat passed. "You're not my son." Stoick pushed through the doors, leaving Hiccup alone, devastated…_

 _Forgotten…_

 _Unwanted._

Hiccup gasped when the memory ended. Tears entered his eyes, but he blinked them away as he sat up. His own father had… disowned him. No wonder everyone was trying to act like everything was fine. They hadn't wanted him to remember that...

"Hiccup? You okay?" Gustav asked, cocking his head. "It kind looked like you fainted."

Hiccup stiffened, his fists clenching. "Gustav, I need you to do as you're told now. When Ryker comes back, I'm going to…" He sighed deeply, unsure how to explain. "Listen, here…."

* * *

"See anything yet?" Stoick yelled over to Astrid.

The Riders and Stoick were soaring across the ocean, searching for any boats that might have Hiccup on them. So far, nothing had appeared, and the group was losing hope.

"Not yet!" Astrid replied, trying not to extinguish Stoick's tiny candle of belief that Hiccup would appear. "We just have to keep going!"

"And we will," Stoick agreed, setting his gaze on the horizon. "We _will_ find Hiccup."

* * *

"Are you boys ready to voice your decisions?" Ryker asked, coming over to the cell. "I've been kind. I let you have six minutes instead of five."

Hiccup swallowed. "We have made our decisions… but first, I have a request."

"A request, you say? I'm not sure you're in the position to make one right now, Hiccup Haddock."

Gustav let out a little whimper.

Hiccup nodded at the boy, sticking his chin up. "I want you to release Gustav. He's no use to you. From what he's told me… he can't help you out. Besides, he's just a kid. Please, release him."

To his infinite surprise, Ryker sighed, trying to keep his temper cool. "Alright, Hiccup. The boy can go, but you're staying. No matter what you do, what you say, _you are staying_."

"Sure."

Ryker opened the cell door, and grabbed Gustav by the scruff of his shirt. Gustav yelped as Ryker tossed him over to one of the guards. "Tie him to his dragon and send him home. Stoick needs to learn somehow who he's dealing with, and the boy will be the perfect messenger."

"Yes, sir!" the guard said, grabbing Gustav and beginning to drag him away.

"No! Hiccup!" Gustav shouted, but a moment later, he was gone.

Ryker turned to Hiccup, smiling. "Now that that little distraction is gone, we can focus on the real point: your decision."

Hiccup nodded, taking in a deep breath. "Okay."

* * *

"What's that?" Fishlegs squeaked, pointing to a small black lump in the distance. "It looks like a dragon… and it's coming towards us!"

Astrid stiffened, peering to where Fishlegs was gesturing to. He was right, it did look like a dragon, and it was getting closer. "Come on! It could be Hiccup, coming back to us on a dragon." She smiled. "Maybe he got his memory back and trained one! Let's go!"

The Riders flew through the air, the figure coming closer, closer… "It's a Monstrous Nightmare!" Snotlout announced. "I'd know that shape anywhere."

"Wow! Hiccup trained another Monstrous Nightmare?" Tuffnut asked, awed. "What is it with him and training those things?"

"I know, right?" Ruffnut cut in. "If he's kidnapped, stranded on a deserted island, or lost, he always comes back on a Monstrous Nightmare! This is no trick, guys! It has to be Hiccup!"

Stoick grinned. "Well, let's meet the lad, then!"

The Monstrous Nightmare- and hopefully Hiccup too- flew closer, until the dragon came into the viewing eye of the Riders. But Hiccup was not on the back of the dragon. Instead, it was-

"Gustav?!" Astrid called, confused.

The boy eventually reached them, and the Riders noticed he was tied up to Fanghook. "Please untie me, guys," Gustav begged. "Ryker, he-"

"Wait, _Ryker's_ behind all this?" said Stoick, raising his brow.

"Yeah!" Gustav revealed. "He is!"

Astrid leaned in and untied the boy's bonds with her ax, a little too close for Gustav's comfort. For a moment, the girl paused, not saying anything, but then her eyes widened.

"Gustav, where's Hiccup?" she growled, placing her hands on his shoulders.

Gustav flinched. It was just his luck having to be the one to tell her... "Well, Hiccup… he told me… um…"

"What did he tell you, Gustav?" demanded Astrid, getting frantic. " _What did Hiccup tell you?"_

* * *

"I'm not going to wait forever, Hiccup," Ryker said grimly, his eyes narrowing at the Viking with a sour expression. "Do you have an answer now?"

Hiccup swallowed.

"I do."

* * *

"He's… he's not the same person as he was before," Gustav tried to explain, rubbing his newly freed hands nervously. "This isn't like the Hiccup we knew before... the incident. He's different. He's changed. He honestly believes that no one cares about him…"

Astrid's eyes widened, feeling like a hammer had hit her heart. Hiccup didn't think she cared about him. "Gustav...? What do you mean? What did Hiccup do?"

"He had to make a choice, Astrid. To die or…"

"Or to what, Gustav? Or what?" She was desperate to know. _Please, don't have done anything stupid..._

Gustav wanted to hide his face. He didn't want to tell her.

"Or... to betray everyone."

* * *

"Go on, then," Ryker smirked, crossing his arms like he was ready for an amusing show. "Tell me. This should be good."

Hiccup rubbed his sweaty palms together. He felt like he was going to be sick.

Gulping once more, he opened his mouth to speak.

* * *

"Which did he choose?" Stoick boomed, his anger born out of blooming fear for Hiccup. " _What did my son choose_?"

Gustav hesitated.

* * *

 _Should I do it?_ Hiccup thought. _It's not too late. I have a chance... being killed... betrayal... death... survival..._

Hiccup looked up at Ryker, who was sneering.

"I've been waiting, Hiccup," the man growled at him. "And I'm getting to be impatient of doing so."

Heaving a sigh, Hiccup bowed his head. He had made his decision. "I...," he said, choking on his words. His breath exhaled.

"...you win, Ryker. I'll join you."


	11. Chapter 11

**Aw, guys, thanks for your reviews and support on last chapter eleven (which I just deleted) *smiles tearfully*. I'm glad you all don't hate the cliffhangers, and actually enjoy reading the story. For a moment there, I wasn't sure how long I'd continue. So, thank you guys! *gives you all a virtual hug* As for your questions asking what will happen next, I give you this riddle (because, you know, I'm a poet;))**

 _ **Though one of the Hiccups remains away**_

 _ **The other still is there**_

 _ **He will not be easily swayed**_

 _ **But the old Hiccup is still in there**_

 **And there you go! Enjoy figuring it out! *cackles***

 **Shoutouts:**

 **FanWriter02:** **Well, Astrid will EVENTUALLY get to Hiccup, but there won't always be a happy ending *laugh evilly***

 **animalsarepeopletoo:** **Hehe, I'm glad you thought so. Truth be told, I actually convinced MYSELF that Hiccup was going to choose to die when I was re-reading it over and over again.**

 **katurdi:** **I am REALLY sorry for the cliffhanger! If I was put in your guys' shoes, I would totally freak out too.**

 **AvatarAngel0723:** **Heh, most of that information is classified. Is Viggo alive? Well, that would have to be a miracle if he was. I promise that the story will have a happy ending, but I can't really say anything else.** **YES, THERE WILL BE A HICCSTRID KISS! I ALREADY WROTE IT OUT A GAJILLION TIMES!** **And I'm glad you liked my version of Be Prepared;)**

 **SailorMew4:** **I know, right? That cliffhanger was very powerful.**

 **BlueCookiesforRick:** **Thanks! I'm glad you think the cliffhangers aren't over-the-top. I know they can be tedious at times, though…**

 **XMoreMinutes:** **Yes, there WILL be a kind of happy ending. You'll see when we get there!**

 **Antox:** **Thanks for your support! :) I was really scared that everyone was thinking the cliffhangers were terrible and just wanted me to stop. :/**

 **AvatarAngel0723:** ***laughs* Okay, okay, I promise not to stop doing cliffhangers! Though I will die down on them for this chapter and maybe the next...**

 **And now for the awaited for CHAPTER ELEVEN! (Not a big cliffhanger at end though. We'll take a break for this chapter and maybe the next.)**

* * *

Ryker looked genuinely surprised at Hiccup's answer.

"You're choosing to become a traitor, you say?" Ryker asked, scratching his chin. "Well, this is a day I never thought I'd see! The great Hiccup Haddock standing before me, promising that he'll work against his tribe, family, and friends." He chuckled, shaking his head. "You must have hit your head pretty hard, boy."

Hiccup swallowed, a dribble of sweat running down the side of his face, born from his anxious feelings. _Did I make the right choice?_ Should _I have chosen to leave my family and my tribe, only to betray them?_ He dipped his head even lower, feeling ashamed of his decision. _Maybe Gustav was right after all… I do feel guilty for choosing to be a traitor._

But the vision of his father disowning him flashed back to him, and his eyes narrowed angrily. _No._ He wouldn't feel bad for doing this. No one cared about him, or what he did. His choice about being a traitor wouldn't even faze them.

"I hope you're not having second thoughts about this, Hiccup," Ryker warned, unlocking the cell's doors. "That would be... unfortunate."

Hiccup looked up at him. He stood up from his spot on the floor, sighing. "No. No second thoughts. I've made my decision and I'm going to go through with it." He rubbed his aching head, trying to force away the slashed remains of guilt. "So, what are my first orders... sir? I'm ready to start with anything."

Chuckling in a pleased way, Ryker opened the doors to let Hiccup out. "First, you need to begin your training."

"Training…?" Ideas ran through Hiccup's mind, and he tried to silence them. "What exactly am I going to be doing, sir?"

Ryker smiled down at him, his eyes gleaming in that evil way of his. "Well, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock... this should be good. You, boy, are going to be my _personal_ assassin..."

* * *

"I can't believe Hiccup would actually betray all of us!" Snotlout exclaimed, glancing over at the other Riders. "I mean, I knew he never liked everyone, but becoming a _traitor_?"

Gustav stuck out his lip in defense. "I-I tried to convince him otherwise, but he wouldn't listen to me! He was going to choose to die, when…"

"When what?" Stoick boomed, raising a hairy eyebrow at the boy. "What happened?"

"Well, Hiccup kind of collapsed, and when he came to, he had changed his mind of what he was going to choose..."

Astrid's eyes widened. "He must have had a flashback, Gustav!" she said, trying to maintain her wild emotions. "It must have not been a very good memory to change his opinion like that…" She shivered, thinking about some of the things Hiccup had experienced. Any of them would have swayed him to choose to be a traitor, and Astrid wasn't even sure she'd be any different if she was in the same situation.

"So… what now?" Tuff asked, trailing a finger down Barf's neck. "It's not like we can take Hiccup back home the way we planned… if he really is a traitor, he's not going to come willingly." When everyone looked surprised at his words, Tuffnut threw up his hands. "What? I listen to things too!"

"He does have a point," Fishlegs murmured, glancing towards the horizon where Hiccup was. "Hiccup _did_ choose to betray everyone… he clearly isn't the same person as he was before."

"We need to get him back, guys, as soon as possible," Astrid ordered, nodding at the other Riders. They returned her words with fierce looks. "Hiccup's alone, confused, plus partnered with one of the greatest enemies we've ever faced. And, of course, he has no idea what in Thor's name he's doing."

"How, lass?" Stoick queried, his brow furrowed in concern. "We'd never be able to take Ryker's whole fleet just to get to Hiccup. We need help. We need an army."

"But, going all the way back to Berk for more soldiers isn't our answer," Astrid cut in. "By the time we gather everyone up to sail to where Hiccup is, Ryker will have taken him off the base, somewhere we could never find him. If we're going to get help, we're going to have to get it quick."

Everyone silenced, thinking over their few options. There wasn't any help nearby- they were in the middle of the ocean, for Thor's sake- and they didn't have the time to go back to Berk. If they chose to attack Ryker's forces by themselves, they wouldn't win. There were only seven of them- including Gustav-, but Ryker had _thousands_ of men ready to fight. The chances of losing were just too great to oppose.

Astrid snapped her fingers a moment later. "I've got it! I know where we can get more soldiers to fight! Come on!" She nudged Stormfly's side, and the two began to fly away, much to the surprise of the others.

"Wait a minute! Where are we going?" Fishlegs yelped, following after her on Meatlug. The rest of the Riders and Stoick also trailed after Astrid, curious to see what she had in mind. "We're in the middle of the ocean- where do you think you'll find an entire army?"

Astrid smiled, but didn't turn back to him. "Guys, we're going to Berserker Island! I know some friends who might be able to help…"

* * *

"Keep your guard firm, Hiccup! Any better swordsman could easily overpower you if you keep this up!" Ryker yelled, throwing another blow from his sword at Hiccup.

Hiccup held his own sword up just in time, panting as Ryker's strength nearly pushed him to the floor. Because Ryker wanted Hiccup to be his new assassin, Hiccup was required to have excellent swordsmanship skills. Unfortunately, the boy was struggling to keep his ground against the larger man and Ryker wasn't too happy about that.

Nevertheless, Hiccup pushed forward, determined not to let Ryker win. "So," he began, trying to distract Ryker during the fight, "why did you choose to let me live? I seem to be one of your greatest enemies, and even if I _did_ lose my memories and have chosen to join you, it doesn't make sense that you'd keep me alive."

Ryker aimed another strike at Hiccup's side, but the boy quickly stopped it with his sword. "From what I can tell, Hiccup, you're no longer the same person you were before," he said, barely taking his eyes off the battle. "The old Hiccup is gone, and I'm glad he is. The boy was a nuisance. But you- you're the new, better Hiccup. The one that will help me take down the Dragon Riders once and for all."

Hiccup cocked his head. "I'm going to kill them? But I thought you would want to do the honors of-"

"Bah!" Ryker spat, dodging a strike from Hiccup. "I never cared about killing the others… only about killing _you._ "

Hiccup gulped, though he tried not to show his fear.

"But now that you've changed, _you'll_ be the one to kill your friends. And once you do, I'll know I can trust you," sneered Ryker, finally lowering his sword. "I think we've practiced enough for today, Hiccup. We begin again tomorrow at dawn- you need all the work you can get..."

"Yes, sir."

"Anyways, follow me. I'll take you to your _room,"_ Ryker smirked, starting to walk away.

Hiccup stumbled after him, putting his sword in its sheath. "Room? I thought you were going to keep me in a cell since I 'can't be trusted' yet."

"If you're going to be my assassin, you need a proper room." Ryker turned left down the hall, and then stopped in front of a small wooden door. "Here we are, 'iccup." He twisted open the knob, revealing a room inside with one bed, a tiny window, and a dresser. "Enjoy your stay."

The next thing Hiccup knew, he was pushed inside the space before the door slammed shut, locking behind him. For a moment, he stood there, blinking as he tried to clear his thoughts.

 _What now? Is this really better than death?_

Hiccup shook his head.

A new life was starting, whether he liked it or not.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight," Dagur said to Astrid, rubbing his head in confusion. "You want Heather, me, and the whole Berserker army to rescue Hiccup because- if I understood correctly-, he lost his memory and now he's turned evil and joined up with Ryker. As a Dragon Hunter." Dagur began to chuckle maniacally, but stopped when no one else joined in. His amused expression faltered. "Wait. You're serious?"

The Riders had arrived at Berserker Island only minutes ago, and were soon herded into the island's Great Hall where Dagur and Heather awaited their arrival. Astrid had repeated the story many times, but Dagur was still having a hard time understanding.

"Yes," Astrid agreed, getting impatient. "Hiccup really doesn't remember anything about what happened to him in these past few years. He's terrified of dragons, doesn't remember Toothless at all, and believes that he's still Hiccup the Useless. He's convinced that no one likes him. Dagur, it pains me to say this, but... we need your help."

Heather turned to Dagur, crossing her arms. "Dagur, we have to do it. Hiccup's helped us out so many times before and gave us both second and third chances. We have to save him."

Dagur sighed. "I just don't want to lose you, sister."

"I know, brother. But Hiccup needs us now. We are Berserkers." Heather sent Astrid a decided smile, which she returned. "And we're going to help him."

Nodding, Dagur turned back to the Riders. "Fine. We'll help… but on one condition: we don't leave until tomorrow morning. It's already sunset, and I need time to prepare my men. Besides, I've seen Shattermaster less exhausted than you guys! And we all know how much my fierce little baby needs to rest. You all should sleep." He pointed to a guard standing nearby. "You, over there! Take our fine guests and bring them to the visitor lodge." Dagur chuckled, shaking his head. "For some _crazy_ reason, we don't get a lot of visitors here! I know! Sometimes, some people are just... berserk! Well, anyways, you'll find it empty."

Astrid smiled, though it was uncertain. "Thank you, Dagur. It's much appreciated."

* * *

Once everyone had gotten settled in the extra hut, night had fallen. But Astrid found herself restless. She quietly left the cabin and sat down in the grass outside, thinking.

 _Will we ever get Hiccup back? Does he even want to come home? Come back to us?_

She sighed, rubbing a tired hand down her face.

"We _will_ find you, Hiccup," Astrid whispered, looking out into the inky sky. Her face hardened. "We _will."_

And even though Hiccup was miles and miles away from Astrid, the boy thought he heard someone whisper into his ears. It was faint. Just _barely_ alive in his head.

But it was there.

It was an angel, he believed. There was someone keeping watch over him.

He rolled over in his bed, a smile climbing to his lips.

 _I guess I'm not alone after all._

* * *

 **OOOOOOOHHHHH.** **What's gonna happen next? Will the Riders, Heather, and Dagur reach Hiccup before he does something he'll regret? Will Hiccup get more of his memories back, or stay convinced that no one cares about him? I PROMISE: IN THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS, IT'S ALL GOING TO COME TOGETHER.**

 **I also have another song for you guys. It's changing up the lyrics of YOU'RE WELCOME from MOANA. My sister wrote it, supposedly from my POV. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **What can I say except, you're welcome?**_

 _ **From the titles I dragged from my head**_

 _ **Hey, cliffhangers, you're good, you're welcome**_

 _ **I guess Hiccup might have to be DEAD**_

 _ **You're welcome...**_

 _ **You're welcome**_

 _ **(Bridge)**_

 _ **I took a story**_

 _ **Made Hiccup dumb**_

 _ **Lost his memory,**_

 _ **Now we got Hiccup!whumps**_

 _ **And then next,**_

 _ **After the cliffhanger,**_

 _ **The fans got mad**_

 _ **At me, thepurplewriter**_

 _ **I then did something no one had done before**_

 _ **Made Hiccup get knocked out**_

 _ **More and more and more!**_

* * *

 **YEP. AND THERE YOU GO. Isn't it great? *smiles widely* See you all next chapter!**

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey, guys! Sorry for the shorter chapter last time, but never fear! This chapter will be longer!** **I know that since I posted a previous chapter 11 that it wouldn't let you guys review if you revised on that (because you can't review 2 times on a chapter), so you can leave what you thought about it on this chapter as well!**

 **And I'm sorry for not posting another chapter yesterday... I ran out of time. So I think I'm only going to do a chapter a day now. If I continue at this rate, I'll finish in like two weeks, and I REALLY want it to last, so I gotta slow down!**

 **Also… have I really only been writing for like six days? I've written like 25,000 words in that time! What...? XD**

 **No shoutouts this time, too busy for 'em, sorry!** **So here we go to CHAPTER TWELVE!**

* * *

Astrid awoke from her sleep as soon as dawn came.

She was surprised to still be lying in the grass outside. She must have forgotten to come back in the hut. Smiling, Astrid turned her head to see Stormfly nestled beside her, fast asleep.

Astrid yawned, sitting up. She couldn't afford to waste any more time than she had to find Hiccup. "Time to go, girl," she said to Stormfly, awakening her dragon with a gentle pat. "We've got a long day ahead of us, so it's best that we take some morning time to train."

Rumbling, Stormfly stood up, shuffling on her feet. Astrid was just about to climb onto the dragon and fly off to go prepare for the coming battle, when a voice behind her said, "Hey, Astrid! Where are you going?"

Astrid turned around to see Heather watching her with crossed arms.

She smiled, waving. "I'm just going to practice in the woods with Stormfly. If there's going to be a fight today, I'm not going to be caught off guard like the twins and Snotlout."

Heather nodded, walking over. "How are you doing, Astrid? I know losing Hiccup has been hard for you... if I lost Dagur like that, I'd been the same way. Doing anything to get him back."

Astrid shrugged, trying not to reveal that she cared as much as she did. She was supposed to be a courageous warrior, strong in even the toughest times. "I'll live… I just hope that Hiccup does too. You know how... _evil_ Ryker can be, and now that he's sided with Hiccup, his sworn nemesis…" She shivered, trying not to think about it, but the damage was already done. "I can't even imagine what he's forcing Hiccup to do right now."

Heather put a hand on Astrid's shoulder to comfort her. "It's okay, Astrid. I'm sure he's fine."

"Well, I'll believe it when I see it…" Astrid paused, not wanting to talk about it. "Speaking of boys, what's your relationship with Fishlegs? Have you spoken to him yet? I could tell he was excited to see you again on the way here. He wouldn't shut up about you."

Blushing, Heather swung her armored arms. "No, we haven't spoken yet… I mean, what are we supposed to say?" She sighed, shaking her head. "I chose to leave the Edge... and even though he supported me, I'm not so sure there _is_ a relationship anymore."

Astrid smiled, patting Stormfly's neck. "Believe me, Heather, you two will always have something. Even if you are usually hundreds of miles apart, that doesn't change anything." Her voice grew soft. "Believe me, I know." And she did.

"Maybe I'll try talking to him later," Heather suggested, fingering her ax. "The ride to Hiccup will be a long trip, and we'll have time to catch up then."

With a sigh, Astrid nodded. "Sure." _But Hiccup and I won't be able to. He barely even remembers who I am, let alone how I feel about him. How_ we _feel about each other._ "So, you want to practice with me in the woods?" Astrid offered.

Heather smiled. "Great! Just a minute, and I'll call Windshear." She let out a high pitched whistle, and a minute later, her dragon flew down from the sky with a _thump_. Heather climbed on Windshear, smiling. Astrid could see her and Dagur's resemblance in her expression. "Let's go!" And there was that Berserker eagerness to destroy things.

Astrid, chuckling at Heather's enthusiasm, climbed up on Stormfly as well. "Okay."

And, grinning, the two warriors flew off.

* * *

"You're doing much better than yesterday," Ryker complemented, dodging a blow from Hiccup's sword. "You learn fast, I'll give you that."

"Thanks," Hiccup said, attacking Ryker once more. "I had a good rest last night. Maybe that was part of it."

Hiccup _had_ had a good rest. After hearing the voice of an angel before he went to sleep, it had soothed him for the rest of the night. Also, his bed was a much cozier place to sleep than the prison cell. He slept through the whole night without waking.

"I'm glad," Ryker grunted, throwing a jab at Hiccup, which the boy parried nearly a second too late. "I'll have you trained to be the perfect assassin in no time if you excel your studies at this rate. Soon, I'll have to give you a better sword, though. The one you're using right now doesn't quite… suit you."

It was true. The sword Hiccup was using was too long to his liking, and it often felt heavy in his hand. "Well, for now it'll do," Hiccup answered, dodging Ryker's thrusts. "I'm still learning the basics."

"Yes, but, tomorrow could get more complicated," Ryker warned, lowering his sword. Hiccup stopped fighting as well, breathing heavily. "Since you're improving so quickly, I could bump you up a level tomorrow. Yes… I think I'll do that. It'll make things more interesting."

Hiccup raised his brow, panting from the aftermath of the battle. "I guess I'm looking forward to it then, Ryker, if you like it too."

Grinning, Ryker nodded. "I do… now, go back to your room, Hiccup. Rest for an hour, and when you've replenished, I'll come and get you for another test I've planned." He smirked, tipping his head. "Go on, now. Every second of rest matters."

Hiccup swallowed, leaning his sword against the wall of the training room. "Yes, sir." He scurried off, thankful for a break. He had been practicing with the sword for almost two hours, now, and he was exhausted. A headache thudded against Hiccup's skull, begging for some sleep. He yawned. A rest did sound tempting.

When Hiccup reached his room, it only took a moment to enter, slip off his shoes, and fall onto his bed. A moment later, he was asleep.

Hiccup's dream almost seemed like a memory. _Well, it could be,_ he admitted to himself, _I_ did _lose my memory after all…_ Hiccup tried to fight against it at first, not wanting to remember his past, but the memory soon overtook him.

 _Hiccup was on the Night Fury Toothless's back, Astrid sitting behind him. The Night Fury spun wildly out of control, causing Astrid to scream and clutch Hiccup. "Okay! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Just get me off of this thing…" The girl was defeated, her aggressive energy gone._

 _The Night Fury tensed, and leveled off into the clouds._

 _Hiccup nearly gasped in the memory as the scene changed. A world he never dreamed of surrounded him, filled with golden clouds ablaze from the sinking sun._

 _Astrid seemed just as entranced, reaching out to touch the beautiful sky and grinning, despite her usual hardcore self._

 _Toothless then rose above the blanket of clouds, going in a full loop…_

 _And then glided under a starry sky._

 _They emerged from a sea of clouds under the dancing Northern Lights, shimmering in ribbons across the vast sky. Below them, Berk's torches flickered in the inky darkness. The new perspective was breathtaking to Hiccup. He didn't remember this… but now he_ wanted _to remember. Maybe his old life hadn't been so bad as he had thought…_

 _Astrid tucked her arms into Hiccup's vest, burying her chin into his shoulder. Hiccup smiled nervously, but allowed her to stay there. Toothless climbed past Berk's tallest peaks and headed over open water, leaving the village lights behind them._

 _Hiccup felt strangely at peace. That moment he was experiencing now would never be lost inside of him._

With a start, Hiccup awoke, gasping as he sat up.

Almost immediately after, he longed to be back up in the clouds, feeling so free that it hurt. That Toothless dragon and Astrid were there with him, as his friends…

Maybe Hiccup had misjudged his old life. Maybe it wasn't as terrible as Ryker had made it seen.

Maybe, just maybe, he had actually belonged for once.

A hard pounding then came from Hiccup's door, and Hiccup stiffened.

 _Ryker._

"Wakey, wakey, Hiccup," the man called, his tone sharper than broken glass. "Get ready, Hiccup. Your new test is about to begin."

* * *

It had been hours since the entire Berserker fleet and the Dragon Riders set off on their ships, sailing hastily to where Hiccup was being held at Ryker's base.

Astrid found herself pacing the deck of the ship in worry, unable to stop thinking about Hiccup. _What if he was already dead? What if he never got any more of his memories back? What if they couldn't convince him that he was a Dragon Rider, and he'd end up being a true villain?_

Astrid shook her head, trying to wrestle the bad thoughts away.

 _No, Hiccup is still alive,_ she told herself, biting her lip. _You know that, Astrid. If he was dead, you would already feel it. Hiccup is still alive, for now. You just have to get to him in time to make sure it stays that way._

"Astrid? Gods, I can hear your pacing all the way from below deck," Heather said, coming out of the below hatch. "Are you doing okay? Being so close to Hiccup now can be stressful _must_ be stressful, but I know you'll get through it. You're Astrid Hofferson, the fearless warrior who never lets anything worry her."

Astrid sighed, but stopped her nervous walking. "Well, that Astrid Hofferson isn't around right now… the new one has just come out." _Just like Hiccup's new self._ "And she's scared what will happen to Hiccup if she doesn't get there in time."

Heather smiled faintly, closing the hatch behind her. She stood up from the ground and walked over to where Astrid stood, looking out into the sea. "It's not your fault, Astrid," she told her friend. "I know what you're thinking. You're blaming yourself for what happened. You think you could have stopped all of this. Astrid… I hate to say this, but... you couldn't have. Ryker is just too powerful. Nothing you could have done would've changed that."

Astrid threw up her hands, exasperated. "No, I could have done more! I-if I never brought Hiccup to the Academy that day, he never would have been scared of dragons. He would have taken Toothless home with him that night, and they would've managed to fight off Ryker." Her fingernails bit into her hands. It _was_ ultimately her fault, no matter how indirectly. "If I had made Hiccup leave the battle when he had been shot in the arm, he never could have gotten amnesia, and…"

"Astrid." Heather sighed when her friend didn't answer. "One way or another, all of this would have happened. Stop blaming yourself. When I see Dagur doing it too, h-he's just not the same person. He's apologetic, apathetic, and worst of all, not sarcastic. He always says he wishes he never joined up with Viggo and Ryker and spends a lot of time blaming himself for his decision. I almost died several times because of him, he tells me."

Pausing to listen, Astrid dipped her head. Was blaming herself the right thing to do? Was Heather right?

Heather went on. "Holding yourself responsible won't do you any good. It-"

She was interrupted by the opening of the hatch.

"Hello, ladies!" a boy's voice rang out.

Astrid groaned. _Gustav… oh, Thor, help me…_

Gustav appeared beside her, smiling attractively. "What are you doing, gorgeous?" He paused, cocking his head. "Where's the fire? Oh, wait, it's right here- because I just arrived." When no one laughed along with him, Gustav cleared his throat. "You're looking a little down, Astrid. What's bothering you?"

Heather chuckled, giving Astrid a _what-in-Thor's-name-is-this-kid-doing?_ look. Astrid rolled her eyes in reply, before staring down at Gustav. He barely reached her shoulders. "Hiccup's missing. Of course, something's _bothering_ me. What _else_ is there to worry about?"

Shrugging, Gustav leaned against the side of the ship. "I don't know… maybe you're worrying about how to ask me out?" At Astrid's beyond shocked expression, he laughed easily. "Astrid, Astrid- you're so cute when you worry. Don't you fret. I'd never say no to such beautiful face."

"Now that we're talking about faces," Astrid growled, " _yours_ is about to be-"

"Astrid!" Heather interrupted, chuckling with a nervous air. "Why don't you introduce me to your friend?"

Gustav turned around, seeing Heather for the first time.

He gasped, his eyes full of love-struck awe.

 _Oh._

 _Thor._

He had heard about this enigmatic Heather, but he had never seen her up close. She was… _beautiful._ In that moment, Astrid didn't matter. In fact, who _was_ Astrid? He didn't know anymore because he still stunned by Heather's breathtaking features. Her leaf green eyes... hair the color of charcoal... she was an _angel_.

"Gustav?" asked Astrid, trying to snap the boy out of his faze. "Gustav?"

Gustav didn't answer to her, but he tried to impress Heather by flexing his muscles. "Oh, you're Heather, right? I've heard a lot about you." He smirked, wiggling his eyebrows. "No one could quite describe your beauty, though… and probably _obsession_ with me, am I right?"

Heather put a hand on her hip, looking at Astrid with a questioning countenance.

Astrid, laughing at her friend's misfortune, shrugged in an _I-don't-know_ answer.

"Look, Gustav, Astrid and I are trying to talk about some things," Heather said, trying to be polite, but clearly struggling not to pummel the kid. "Would it be alright if you left us alone?"

Smiling, Gustav crossed his arms. "I suppose... I'd bet you'd _love_ being all alone with me, beautiful."

Astrid could barely hold back her giggles.

Even though Gustav was annoying, silly, and repulsive at times, he had helped her to laugh a little fear away. And Astrid was truly grateful for that.

* * *

When Hiccup and Ryker arrived at the base's docks, Hiccup knew something was wrong.

Why were they here of all places? What test could possibly take place at the place where ships simply took off and came in?

"Alright, Hiccup," began Ryker, stopping at the edge of the wooden docks. "Your next test begins now." He called over to a group of soldiers standing nearby, "Bring the beast out!" The men obliged and marched off, going to a nearby ship where an unloading plank leaned against it.

A blanket of fear covered Hiccup. _Bring_ it _out? Why did Ryker mean?_

His thoughts were interrupted by the roar of a dragon, and the soldiers started to drag out… a Thunderdrum. _Oh, of all the dragons to pick, it had to be a Thunderdrum?_ Now Ryker was going to make him fight it, and Hiccup was sure he'd lose. He would be fighting a _dragon,_ for Thor's sake. It was no fair match.

The soldiers pulled the Thunderdrum out of the ship, tugging at its chains, and eventually, they walked the beast over to where Ryker and Hiccup stood. With a grin, Ryker drew his sword, aiming it at the Thunderdrum. Hiccup felt confused. He thought _he_ was going to be the one to kill the dragon, not Ryker. What kind of test was this?

A second later, Ryker slammed his sword down into the Thunderdrum's side, causing the creature to scream in pain. Hiccup grimaced, trying not to look. _Oh, Thor, oh Thor…._

"Your task," Ryker spat, eyeing both Hiccup and the dragon, "is to make a choice."

Hiccup raised his brow. "What-?"

His questions were answered when Ryker pushed the grunting Thunderdrum into the water. The dragon splashed around, gasping for air as its blood clouded the water. _It's going to drown,_ Hiccup realized. _If he goes underwater for too long, he'll drown, if he doesn't die from the stab wound first…_

"The clock is ticking, Hiccup," snapped Ryker. "What will you choose? Save the dragon from drowning, or put it out of its misery and let it die." He chuckled. "I'd kill the beast in an instant, but this is your choice. So, Hiccup Haddock, what will you choose?"

Panicked, Hiccup looked at the Thunderdrum.

 _Should he save it?_

Could _he save it?_

 _Or should he let it die a slow, painful death that no one deserved?_

Hiccup stiffened, watching the dragon with terror-filled eyes. For once, he didn't know what to do. He was at a fork in the road, and he wasn't sure which way to turn.

And for three long minutes, Hiccup did nothing.

Then he collapsed to his knees, covering his eyes. He couldn't possibly watch how this ended. He didn't want to. If he did… well, he was afraid he'd be convinced to save the dragon, and Ryker wouldn't like that. Hiccup shivered. The last thing he wanted to face was Ryker's wrath.

Suddenly, the cries of the Thunderdrum stopped, leaving an icy silence in the air.

Hiccup peeked open his eyes.

The surface of the water was empty.

The dragon had drowned.

A tear fell down Hiccup's cheek. _Seastorm,_ he thought, nodding. _I'm naming the dragon Seastorm. He never gave up while in the sea, and he went down like a storm._

Hiccup stood up, wiping his eyes. "It's done, sir."

For some reason, Ryker was staring at Hiccup with a new look… _admiration_. He hadn't expected the boy to let the dragon die. A moment later, though, the man regained his normal composure and smiled down at Hiccup.

"Well, isn't it my lucky day," he sneered. "The Great Dragon Rider just let a dragon die."


	13. Chapter 13

**Hey, guys! Sorry for the very late update, today I was so busy with school work that you wouldn't believe it! But this chapter is really long to make up for it!**

 **Anyways, here's Shoutouts and then we'll get to the story!**

 **FanWriter02:** **Haha, yes I am awesome! *strikes dramatic pose* Yes, Hiccup is an idiot but hopefully he'll realize it soon!**

 **katurdi: ** **True, true! Astrid will not be happy with our dear Hiccup! Yeah, the Gustav/Heather interaction was really fun to write!**

 **animalsarepeopletoo: ****Glad you liked it! Yes, BAD HICCUP NEEDS TO GO HE IS RUINING EVERYTHING!**

 **SailorMew4:** **Hehe, yes everything you think is real isn't… and unfortunately, the Thunderdrum's wounds were too harsh to survive:(**

 **AvatarAngel0723:** **Woah, that's a whole lot of questions. Okay, I can answer SOME of them: I let Hiccup kill a dragon because, well, I did! Hiccup won't get his memory back until _ happens, so yeah. As for when Hiccup will have another flashback, that's classified. *puts finger up to lips, making shushing noises* Hiccup will either become a fierce enemy or a weak one (haha, don't I have a way with words?) My next song is in progress, so keep an eye out!**

 **BakonoftheUnknown:** **You. Shall. See! *cackles evilly***

 **Goldeneyeddragon101:** **No, those are great ship names, and I'm glad you liked it:)! Hiccup HAD to let the dragon die or Ryker would kill him… I'M SO SORRY! *hugs self, sobbing***

 **All right. Chick-fil-A milkshake next to me? Check! Spanish homework waiting for me to do? Check! A few impatient readers waiting for this long introduction to end? Check! So it sounds about normal.**

 **WARNING: THIS CHAPTER'S CLIFFHANGER IS BIG BIG BIG! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The Berserkers were nearing Ryker's base. It was only one hour away, and Astrid could barely hide both her fear and excitement of arriving.

Since the day before, Heather had stayed with Astrid the entire trip, trying to make feeble conversation. But she eventually stopped when Astrid never replied to her questions. Gustav, of course, visited the girls quite frequently, often bringing Heather a gift or two when he came back from below the hatch.

"Why, thank you...," Heather ackowledged when Gustav handed her a necklace of seaweed with an eager expression. "Um… it really brings out your… creativity?"

Gustav laughed, waving her off. Astrid fought back a chuckle. "Oh, please. _You're_ the one who sparks my imagination." He flexed his arm, a casual smile on his face. "So, babe, do you want to get out of here? I know a couple places where we could talk by _ourselves_." He gave what he thought was a furtive look at Astrid, and winked back at Heather. "I know. Pretty tempting, isn't it?"

Heather's face reddened, and Astrid once again covered her mouth to smother a laugh.

"Maybe later, Gustav," Heather said, brushing him aside like he was a bothersome fly. "Astrid and I are having a girl talk. _Aren't_ we, Astrid?" She gave her friend a pleading look.

Astrid felt a little bad for her. She had experienced all of... Gustav before, and knew how horrible it was to endure.

"Oh, I know _all_ about girl talks," Gustav chuckled. "And more than I should admit, I hear them talking about me." He waited for them to be impressed, but when they weren't, he sighed. "Don't fret, beautiful. I know you're jealous of Astrid's rivaling beauty, but you don't need to worry about a thing. You're the only angel for me."

Astrid pretended to gag from behind him, and Heather raised her brow, deciding to get stern. "Gustav, if you don't leave on the count of three, I _swear_ I will stuff you down the hatch myself. How's that for an angel?"

Gustav gulped, stumbling away. He had had many of these conversations before. "Well, if you need anything, feel free to come and get me!" He left.

Heather immediately hurled her seaweed 'necklace' into the sea, breathing a sigh of relief. She turned to Astrid, crossing her arms. "Thank the gods he's gone. How did you put up with it all those years?"

"Well, I showed him my axe and exactly what I could do with it."

Heather nodded. "Good plan... um, Astrid... do you want to talk about _it_?"

Astrid's amused expression faded, and she shook her head, looking away. She didn't need to ask what _it was._ "Not when we're this close, Heather. I can't be distracted now. We're about to go into battle, and I need to have sharp thoughts. They can't be muddled by my... feelings."

"Hey, what do you know? Even the great Astrid Hofferson can care about people." Heather smiled. "Don't try to hide it. You can't hide anything from me."

Astrid laughed dryly, looking back up at Heather. "Sometimes you're just as annoying as Dagur. But… I do care about Hiccup. A lot. It's just… I'm not so sure how he feels about me anymore. Imagine if Fishlegs lost all his memories, and he forgot who you were and how to act around you... imagine if he thought you didn't care about him that much. Just as friends, if even that…"

Heather pursed her lips. "I see."

"He wouldn't have as strong feelings for you as he has now. He wouldn't know anything about how you're you." Astrid drummed her fingers on the railing of the ship. "That's like what it is with Hiccup. Only worse. All he remembers is that he's Hiccup the Useless and I was one of the kids who totally ignored him for fifteen years of his life." She bit down on her lip. "I just don't see how anyone could ever forgive something like that. And the worst thing is, I didn't even get to say sorry."

Heather cocked her head. "Well, why don't you do it now?"

Astrid felt surprised. "What? But Hiccup's miles away, and-"

"Don't worry about that. Just yell, 'Hiccup, I'm sorry.' You'll feel better afterward." Heather smiled with encouragement. "Go on. Do it."

At Astrid shake of her head, Heather stepped it up to, "I dare you."

Astrid groaned. Heather knew that she could never back down from a dare, so very reluctantly she leaned out over the ship and cleared her throat.

"Hiccup! I'm sorry!" she yelled, thinking that the whole thing was ridiculous.

But she did not think that Ryker's base would come into view at that very moment.

* * *

"Hiccup! Wake up!" a voice boomed.

Hiccup was startled from his sleep, and snapped up in bed, panting. His dreams had been terrible last night. He dreamt over and over about Seastorm being stabbed and dying in the ocean waters. _I could have saved him,_ Hiccup thought weakly, wiping at his already damp eyes. He was surprised with his behavior. _Why do I feel so bad? Ryker hates dragons, so I should hate dragons too…_

 _Or should I?_

A flashback suddenly came at that moment, and Hiccup was startled to realize what it was about.

" _Ugh, the gods hate me," Hiccup was saying, kicking at a rock on the ground. "Some people lose their knife or their mug. No, not me. I manage to lose an entire dragon." Hiccup whacked a low-hanging branch. It snapped back at him, hitting him in the face. He looked up to see a snapped tree trunk, much to his surprise. His eyes followed it to a long trench of upturned earth._

 _He trailed the pain, when he saw a downed, black dragon, its body and tail tangled in a bola. The Night Fury. It appeared to be dead. Hiccup approached, beaming._

" _Oh wow. I did it. I did it. This fixes everything," he cheered, shaking his head in shock. "Yes!" He struck a victory pose, planting his foot on the fallen Night Fury. "I have brought down this mighty beast!"_

 _Then the dragon suddenly shifted._

" _Whoa!" Hiccup sprung back, terrified. He turned his blade on it. Rattled, Hiccup crept along the length of the weak, wounded dragon, dagger poised to strike. As he reached the head, Hiccup found the Night Fury staring coldly at him. Hiccup tried to look away, but he was drawn back to its unnerving, unflinching stare._

 _With the dragon safety tangled in the ropes, Hiccup jabbed with his dagger, puffing himself up with false bravado. "I'm going to kill you, Dragon," he said, stiffening. "I'm gonna cut out your heart and take it to my father. I'm a Viking." A beat passed. "I am a VIKING!"_

 _Hiccup raised the dagger, determined to prove his Viking-ness. The dragon's labored breathing broke Hiccup's clenched concentration. He opened an eye, uncertainty leaking through. The dragon held the stare._

 _Something incredible was exchanged._

 _Finally, the Night Fury closed its eye and lowered its head, resigned to its fate. Hiccup tried to go through with it, holding the dagger aloft... fighting himself... until finally lowering it with a frustrated sigh._

He gasped, standing up from his bed.

That was the same Night Fury he had seen a few days ago. The Night Fury that his old friends said was his closest companion before his accident.

Hiccup felt shaky, walking over to the door. He was sweating all over, and he was sure his face was as pale as a fish. _I almost killed the Night Fury… but I didn't._ He thought back to the moment, trying to grasp at the reason why he hadn't finished the dragon off there. _He… he must have hypnotised me,_ he thought with a nod of his head. Yes. That must have been it.

"Hiccup!" Ryker snapped from outside. "Wake up, _now!"_

Startled into action, Hiccup ran the rest of the way over to the door, unlocking it. "Sorry, sir," he mumbled, fiddling with the doorknob. "I kind of lost myself for a minute there…" He opened the door, and saw Ryker's stony expression staring back down at him.

"Hurry up," Ryker spat, beginning to walk away. "We're going to the ships. We have to leave now."

Confused, Hiccup started to follow. "What? Why?"

"Just do as you're told, Hiccup!"

"But where are we going?" Hiccup asked, struggling to keep up with the man. " _Why_ are we going? Do we have to leave? I kind of like it here. We haven't even finished my training yet, so maybe we could stay a little longer..."

"Well, Hiccup it's not really up to you," Ryker growled, turning to the boy. "But for now, I'll say this: we're going on a little trip across the sea." He chuckled, starting to walk again. He started to say something else, and Hiccup had to listen closely to fully hear it.

"...and we're not coming back."

* * *

"Men! Prepare for battle!" Dagur cried from the mast of his ship, looking down at all of his soldiers. "Ryker's base is approaching, and we must fight for control! For Hiccup Haddock and the dragons!"

"For Hiccup Haddock and the dragons!" the men saluted back.

Dagur looked over to his side, where Heather waited in worry. He sent his sister a reassuring smile, concerned with how nervous she seemed. It was odd. Heather was usually so hardcore and expressionless, like him. "It's okay, Heather," Dagur said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I won't let Ryker hurt you ever again. And if he does, he'll pay." His eyes narrowed.

"That's not what I'm worried about, Dagur," Heather replied, looking down at the ax in her hands. "Ryker has Hiccup, our brother in arms. For all we know, Hiccup could already be dead. You know Ryker isn't the one to keep alliances for long."

Dagur darkened, staring at the approaching island. "Yes, but this time, something will be different. We'll be fighting together. As Berserkers."

Heather nodded, straightening. "As Berserkers."

Suddenly, a man below cried out, "We're here! We're at Ryker's base!"

Stiffening, Dagur looked over to Heather with a sigh. "Get ready, sister. The battle has just begun."

* * *

Hiccup cast a long glance back at Ryker's base from the ship he was now on, feeling somewhat disappointed that he was leaving.

The base was something familiar to him now, and he wanted to cling onto it for as long as he could. But now, Ryker would never let him return. His heart plummeted. What would the next base be like? Would it be the same, or terribly different?

He tapped his fingers against the railing of the deck, looking out into the sea. He paused, seeing something on the horizon. It looked like… ships. Alarmed, Hiccup stumbled back. It was the Dragon Riders. The people he was supposed to kill… well, they were coming for _him_ now.

* * *

"Fire!" Astrid shouted, causing Stormfly to spray a jet of fire at the Dragon Hunters base.

The battle had begun a few minutes ago, and Astrid was already in the thick of it. For some reason, though, there weren't a lot of soldiers guarding it. Sure, there were a hundred or so visible men shooting dragon root arrows and flinging boulders with their catapults at them, but Astrid thought it almost seemed too… easy. Too unprotected.

 _Ryker's planning something,_ she thought nervously, dodging a wave of arrows. _He wouldn't leave Hiccup so unprotected, unless… unless-_

"Hold your fire!" Astrid called out to everyone, and the other Dragon Riders stopped in mid-battle, pausing to see what Astrid had to say. Astrid's thoughts were wild as she looked around at the others, but she narrowed her eyes in determination. "Hiccup isn't here! Ryker wouldn't leave his base with only a hundred men to guard it if Hiccup was still on the island!"

Stoick's face morphed into surprise. "You're saying he knew this was all going to happen? That he knew we would come here and attack?"

"Yes, he did."

"And then Ryker took Hiccup off the island before we reached him, so we'd battle an entire army for nothing?"

Astrid nodded. "It sounds just like something Ryker would do… clever, but not too clever. He must have gotten more of Viggo's brains than we thought."

Stoick stiffened in Skullcrusher's saddle. "Well, we have to find him!"

"Not to worry, Chief," Tuffnut said over to Stoick, nodding at Ruffnut. "Thorston and Thorston are on the case." He and his sister high fived, and Tuffnut went on. "We're the best detectives on Berk, because _we_ know how to get inside the crime."

"Most likely since we've usually been _doing_ the crime," Ruff added mischievously.

"Shh!" Tuffnut scolded, lowering his voice. "They don't know that…"

"Anyways," Astrid drew on, having to louden her voice, "this was just a distraction. Hiccup must be on a ship going to another one of Ryker's bases…but we have no idea where."

"But I bet these guys do," Fishlegs pointed out, gesturing to Viggo's men below them.

Astrid grinned. "For once, Fishlegs, I like you how you think."

* * *

Hiccup saw Ryker's base coming up ahead, and he gulped.

It was much, much larger than the other one, and countless guards were positioned around the area, loaded crossbows in their arms. It didn't seem nearly as welcoming as the other base had been.

"Hiccup," Ryker's deep voice said from behind him.

Hiccup flinched, swerving around. "Hello, sir."

"You know what you have to do if the Dragon Riders get here," Ryker grumbled, digging his knife under his nails to scratch out some extra dirt, as if it were the most normal thing in the world to do.

Nodding, Hiccup straightened. "Yes. I'll kill them." _Like I did to that Thunderdrum… oh, Thor, do I really want to do something like that again? I don't want to feel that terrible for a long, long time._

Ryker smirked. "Good." He turned to his men, booming in a loud voice. "Prepare to dock! We need to get ready for our visitors."

* * *

"I'm going to ask you again," Stoick grunted, picking up the soldier the Riders had abducted by the scruff of his shirt. "Where is my son? Where's Hiccup? Which base did Ryker take him to?"

The soldier shook his head, refusing to answer.

Astrid's hand went for her ax, but Heather stopped her. "I know just the thing that'll make him speak," she said craftily. "Windshear! Let's show this man what your tail can do." Windshear roared, walking over. At first, the dragon seemed sweet, caring- gentle, even-, but a moment later, she flipped her tail down on a huge rock, slicing it in half a moment later like a warm knife through yak butter.

Windshear didn't even seem fazed from the movement, and began to lick at her scales so that they would perfectly shiny again.

The guard yelped, terrified. "F-fine! I'll talk! They took the boy to Ryker's southern base… please don't kill me! I'm just working under orders! I was told to tell you that the boy was dead, but…" He broke down sobbing. "I don't want to die…"

Astrid glared. "Well, _thank you,_ for that valuable information. I'll be sure to mention it to the valkyries." And, because of her profuse anger, she knocked the soldier out with the hilt of her ax. The man crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Smiling, Astrid sighed. "That felt good. Now, let's go get Hiccup."

Heather nodded. "Let's just hope we're not there too late…"

* * *

Hiccup saw the Dragon Riders flying over to him in the distance, and fear engulfed him as he left the ship. _Keep calm, Hiccup. Ryker wants the Dragon Riders dead. You can't mess it up now, or he'll kill you._

 _Keep walking, Hiccup._

 _Act like everything's alright._

He gulped.

 _But it isn't…_

* * *

Astrid flew ahead of the others, pushing Stormfly to her limits. She saw Ryker's base approaching, and she shivered in fear. This was it. She would finally face Hiccup for the first time in days, and hopefully he would recognize her for who she was. Who they were together.

She saw a ship stop near the docks, and a loading plank was placed down a few seconds later. She spotted a bulky form swagger off the ship, taking his time walking away. _Ryker…_ Anger filled her, and she tightened her grip on her ax. Oh, did she have a thing or two to say to him…

But then Ryker disappeared from her line of sight, and she felt confused. _Wait. Where was Hiccup? He wasn't with him…_

Then she saw Hiccup leave the ship, limping slightly from his prosthetic, and headed after Ryker. Tears filled Astrid's eyes. _Hiccup. You're here…._ She landed Stormfly on the docks, and hopped off, ready to explode with joy.

"Hiccup!" Astrid called, her heart fluttering in relief. He was here. He was standing only twenty feet away from her.. right there... _living_... "Hiccup, you're okay!"

Hiccup looked up at Astrid with surprise, but his eyes filled with remembrance as he saw her. He stopped walking, a hand hovering above his sword hilt.

Astrid felt like crying with joy. _Thank the gods, he recognized her! Maybe he had finally gotten his memories back!_ From his expression, it wasn't totally out of the question. "Hiccup!" she yelled again for no exact reason. She was just so overjoyed to be able to use his name again and have him turn to look at her. _He was here! They had found him!_

Hiccup started to run towards her. Grinning, Astrid expected him to throw his arms around her and give her a bear-grip hug.

What she did not expect was to see Hiccup draw his sword, and smoothly place it a millimeter from her neck.

* * *

 **Oh no! Will Hiccup kill Astrid, or will he remember who she really is before it's too late? Will he have another flashback? WILL RYKER STOP MAKING EVERYTHING SO IMPOSSIBLE?** **Seriously. Ryker and I are scheming together to make you guys suffer as much as we can.**

 **Well, on that cheerful note, I'll leave you guys hanging! (literally)** **I can't wait until Chapter 14 is out so I'll get to see your reactions at THAT ending! (but it's a satisfying cliffhanger, never fear!)**

 **Anyways...** **UNTIL THE NEXT CHAPTER! Happy reading!**

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	14. Chapter 14

**IT'S HERE GUYS. IT. IS. HERE.** **I'm sorry for the major cliffhanger last time, and a lot of you were freaked out that Astrid was going to die. But, I reassure you THAT SHE SHALL NOT!** **Okay. Now that that's over with, I have a new song for you guys! (inspired by AvatarAngel0723's flurry of questions;))**

 **TO THE LYRICS OF I'LL MAKE A MAN OUT OF YOU FROM MULAN.**

 _ **Let's get down to business**_

 _ **To begin the cliffhangers**_

 _ **Did you sign up for happy endings, when I said**_

 _ **BEWARE OF THEPURPLEWRITER?**_

 _ **You're the squeamish lot I ever met**_

 _ **But you can bet before I'm through**_

 _ **Reviewers, I'll make strong readers**_

 _ **Out of you!**_

* * *

Astrid was shocked.

No, she was beyond shocked. _Beyond_ beyond shocked.

Hiccup Haddock, her best friend- and maybe a little bit more- held a sword at her throat, his glare unflinching as she searched in his eyes for any trace of recognition. _Does he_ really _not remember me?_ Astrid thought, her eyes widening. _Would he goes as far as… killing me?_

"Hic-" Astrid yelped, keeping her gaze on Hiccup's sword in front of her. Her brain was confused at the sudden change of emotions. She tried to focus on the present situation and not how hurt she felt that the boy she loved was ready to kill her. "Gods... please, Hiccup! I know that somewhere, something inside of you _doesn't_ want to do this. _Listen, Hiccup_! I'm Astrid, your best friend. We would _never_ hurt each other… we're Dragon Riders!" She was desperate to get him to listen to her.

He _had_ to listen to her.

Or it was goodbye Astrid Hofferson.

Hiccup snarled, moving the sword closer to her neck. A trail of blood went down Astrid's neck, and she gasped at the pain. She'd never dreamed that Hiccup would _hurt her._ And… that thought alone made it hurt even more.

Glaring hard, Hiccup darkened. "Wrong! I'm a Dragon _Hunter."_

* * *

"I'm going to go back to Dagur," Heather announced suddenly, stopping Windshear in the sky. She had made up her mind halfway through the flight to Hiccup, and she wasn't going to be swayed. "He needs my help in the battle. I can't let him do all the work for us."

The Dragon Riders skidded to a halt on their dragons, turning back to her. "What?" Fishlegs asked, whimpering. His face was full of worry. "B-but Astrid needs you there when she finally faces Hiccup! A-and if you go in t-the battle, you might be killed!"

Heather was deeply touched by his concern, and she almost ended up agreeing into staying so that she could calm his nerves, but Heather stopped herself. Dagur, her blood brother was out there, fighting a battle alone. He expected his sister to be there for him, and Heather wasn't going to let him down. Not now.

"I'll be back soon, Fishlegs," she promised, smiling tightly. "I can handle myself."

Sighing, Fishlegs nodded. He knew there was no way to change Heather's mind. "Okay… but be safe."

Heather nodded, beginning to steer Windshear back to the battle at Ryker's base. "I will!" she called out, her heart hurting as she left him. Astrid's words from the other day came back to her: _Believe me, Heather, you two will always have something. Even if you are usually hundreds of miles apart, that doesn't change anything._

Maybe it was true. Maybe she did have some feelings left for Fishlegs after all.

* * *

Astrid flinched at Hiccup's outburst. "No, you _are_ a Dragon Rider, Hiccup!" she insisted, wanting to shake her head but unable to, what with Hiccup's sword right against her neck. "I know that you want to believe me, but you're just too scared!"

Hiccup's eyes narrowed. "Scared? You don't know scared, Astrid. I've had to deal with Ryker."

Astrid raised her brow. "Oh, yeah? Well, I've dealt with way worse."

"Really?" Hiccup said sarcastic. "Did you have a bad hair day?"

"No. I have to deal with you."

Hiccup froze, and for a moment he looked hurt. Actually _hurt_ from her words. Astrid took that as a sign of hope he was slowly remembering her, caring when she said something hurtful to him, but a second later, Hiccup went back into his angry faze.

 _I got somewhere, though,_ Astrid told herself. _That's something…_

"Hiccup, I really hate to do this," Astrid began, a twinkle in her eye, "but I guess I have no choice with the way you're acting." Quick as a whip, she raised her foot and kicked into Hiccup's chest, pushing him away from her. Astrid smiled, and raised her ax. _Ha. That will teach him not to deal with Astrid Hofferson._

Hiccup fell back into the dirt, accidentally scratching his wrist with the sword from the tumble. Hiccup grunted in pain, and Astrid's heart leapt in concern. She hadn't meant to hurt him… was he all right? Her worries were swept away when Hiccup jumped back up, his sword raised.

"Hiccup, give it up," Astrid sighed, swinging her ax in a circle. It almost came naturally to her. "You know you can never beat-"

That's when Hiccup snapped. He ran towards Astrid, holding out his sword, and soon the battle began. Friend against friend, ax against sword. Astrid was impressed with Hiccup's ferocity. Usually, if they ever did practice weaponry together, Hiccup would barely have enough courage to look her in the eye, as if he was ashamed to fight her.

Now, though, Hiccup was brutal. His sword swings were sharp and forceful, and after the first few minutes of the battle, Astrid actually was getting worried about her chance of winning. And _that_ was a rare thing indeed. _He's been practicing,_ she thought, swinging her ax at his sword. _With Ryker, I presume. That's how he's gotten so good…_

"You know," Astrid panted, dodging one of Hiccup's blows, "this would be a lot simpler if we just sat down and talked this out like normal people."

Hiccup raised his brow, his eyes flashing. "Does this _look_ like a normal situation?"

"Well, no. But, Hiccup..." Astrid sighed, lowering her ax. She couldn't fight him anymore. She just couldn't. Hiccup, to her surprise, lowered his sword too. They were in a temporary agreement-for now. "Look," Astrid began, shaking her head. "I'm tired of you not remembering anything. I'm tired about how you act around me. And I'm tired of you thinking that you want to kill me!" Astrid grew infuriated. She hadn't realized how much she hated the situation until now. "Do you know how hard it's been these past week without you? Knowing that you betrayed everyone? I wondered if I would ever see you again, Hiccup. I wondered if you would ever look at me the same way, or act the way you used to. Hiccup… I miss the old you. A lot." Tears formed in her eyes, but she blinked them away. "Please come back to me. I need you."

Hiccup paused.

* * *

"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Heather shouted, raising her double-headed ax in battle as she raced by Dagur, ready to go fight some soldiers.

Dagur whooped, raising his sword. "That's my sister!"

Heather jumped in the air, knocking out several soldiers by twirling her ax in the process. She panted once she hit the ground, but she was happy. Being in the battle felt so… exhilarating. Her blood was on fire with energy, and she knocked out two more men a few seconds later, feeling satisfied.

Dagur ran up to her, wiping his brow. "Alright, sister. Let's finish this."

Heather smiled grimly. "I'm just glad I'm doing it with you." She was about to say something else, when she saw a soldier nearing the back of Dagur, a knife raised in his hand. His expression was murderous. He looked prepared to kill.

"Dagur!" Heather screamed, pushing him out of the way.

...and the knife sunk into her shoulder. Heather grunted, her knees buckling beneath her. She fell to the ground, her vision flickering. _Well… I saved Dagur,_ she thought with a hard swallow. _At least I did that before-_

Pain overwhelmed her, and she cried out.

"Heather! _HEATHER!_ " someone yelled. It was Dagur.

Her brother raced next to her in horror, his face mortified. "H-Heather? Are you injured? Heather!" He saw the knife sticking out of her shoulder, and he gasped, eyes widened in terror. "Okay, sister… this is going to hurt. But you have to hold on… I have to get the knife out…"

Heather winced, biting her lip. "Okay."

Dagur looked more concerned for his sister than he had ever been before, and that slightly comforted Heather. Dagur _cared._ "Stay with me, now, Heather. One… two… three…" He grabbed the dagger's hilt, and pulled it out of her shoulder, releasing another stream of blood.

Heather screamed against the pain, and collapsing to the ground, she blacked out.

* * *

Hiccup only paused for a second before he slammed his sword against Astrid's throat, cutting off her air supply. Astrid tried not to gasp, knowing that it would only cost her more of her precious oxygen.

"Hiccup," Astrid croaked, looking deep into his eyes. She was searching for _something._ Something that was left good inside of him. "Hiccup, please…"

Cocking his head, Hiccup flinched. _Her eyes…_ they had the same feeling as the Night Fury had had when he had the flashback of them in the woods. Desperate to live, but still giving up at the end… helpless… wanting some kind of pity from its hunter.

"I know… I know you're in there," Astrid breathed, her eyes flickering open and closed. "You have to try… try to remember… remember me. Remember Astrid, Hiccup. _Remember."_

Hiccup knew couldn't kill her. He couldn't. _I won't make the same mistake twice,_ he thought.

Covering up his true feelings, Hiccup glared darkly at Astrid, and for a moment he wondered if he should really go through with his decision. But he did, and removed his sword from Astrid's neck. It might cost him his life, but at least it wouldn't cost her hers.

Astrid gasped, clutching her throat. She could finally _breathe_.

" _Fine._ You can live. But... _Astrid_..." Hiccup said it in a mocking tone that made her feel like she'd been shot by an arrow. "Just know that next time, I won't be so nice." He slid his sword back into its sheath, and without even glancing back, started to run off towards Ryker's main building, leaving Astrid dazed and alone.

"Hiccup," she murmured, hoping he would look back.

But Hiccup never did.

* * *

Hiccup bent over, panting, as he ran inside Ryker's new base building. He felt frightened at what was going to happen to him when Ryker found out he hadn't killed the Dragon Riders, and he knew he'd be punished.

 _Severely_.

As Hiccup looked up, he saw Ryker staring at him from the other side of the large room. Hiccup gulped, trying to look away from Ryker's gaze, but he couldn't. Ryker seemed to be sucking Hiccup's very soul out, driving every secret Hiccup had hidden away into his own mind…

"Did you do it?" Ryker huffed, walking up to Hiccup. "Did you kill the Dragon Riders?"

Hiccup weakly shook his head.

Ryker cocked an eyebrow. "Did you kill any of them? I saw you battling with the girl. Did you at least kill her?"

Hiccup hung his head, not wanting to meet Ryker's fury head on. "No, sir. She… she got away." He tried to mumble the last part, but it came out louder than he meant to. He winced. "The other Riders didn't even come… she was ahead of them, and-"

"She _what?!"_ roared Ryker, making Hiccup flinch.

"I-I'm sorry. I tried my best, but-"

Ryker grabbed Hiccup but the collar of his shirt, and lifted him up into the air. Hiccup yelped, kicking his legs out in fear. Ryker's grip slightly prevented him from breathing, and he gasped for air, trying to grab at Ryker's hands...

But he couldn't reach.

Ryker slapped Hiccup across the face- hard-, making Hiccup's ears ring. He cried out as his face burned. _That's going to leave a bruise..._

"This _better_ not happen again, Hiccup Haddock," Ryker warned, glowering at Hiccup with pure anger. He was truly angry with him now. "Or next time, you won't live to the time I kill your little 'friends.' Understood?"

Hiccup trembled in Ryker's hold, fighting for a breath. "I… understand, Ryker…"

With a cruel laugh, Ryker released Hiccup, and the boy fell to the cold floor, grunting in pain. He looked up, seeing Ryker walk away and disappear through the main door. Hiccup sucked in a breath.

 _I'll never take air for granted again…_ Hiccup thought, rubbing his sore neck. _Or my safety, for that matter..._

He hadn't wanted his alliance with Ryker to be like this. He thought they would be companions, laughing over dinner about how silly the Dragon Riders were thinking that dragons were good. Always being of the same rank, no one higher than the other. Barely even causing damage to the archipelago.

But, no. Ryker meant business.

Shivering, Hiccup brought a hand to his face, and grimaced when it touched the place where Ryker had slapped him. He could almost feel how terrible it would be like tomorrow, and how it would leave an ugly bruise.

Hiccup's headache returned, as did the throbbing pain in his left arm. He had a hard time recollecting why at first, but then he remembered: the Dragon Riders said to him that he had been hit on the side of his head with a hammer, along with getting an arrow wound to the arm.

 _It seems that Old-Hiccup had a liking for getting hurt,_ he thought to himself, sitting all the way up. _And now I, the New-Hiccup, have to pay for it…_

Hiccup was just about to get up and leave the room, when a thought entered his mind, making him too distracted to move. _Hmmmm…_ Maybe he didn't want to be with Ryker any more. Maybe this alliance had really ended the moment Hiccup said 'yes.' Frowning, Hiccup sighed as a new memory returned.

" _Just give me until tomorrow," Hiccup was saying to Astrid as they stood in a moonlit cove. It was a nice evening- warm, but not too warm, and very quiet. "I'll figure something out._

 _To Hiccup's surprise, Astrid's stiff expression softened. "Okay."_

 _Then she punched Hiccup in the arm._

And she's back, _Hiccup thought, still ever so sarcastic._

 _Astrid glared at Hiccup as he rubbed his arm, but Hiccup could tell she didn't really mean it. At least, not all the way. "That's for kidnapping me."_

 _Hiccup looked over to Toothless for support, but Toothless snorted, dismissive. Hiccup turned back to Astrid, when suddenly she grabbed him. Hiccup braced for another hit, but something else came instead._

 _Astrid kissed him on the cheek, a small smile on her lips. "That's for... everything else." In the awkward wake of the moment, Astrid hurried off… leaving Hiccup rubbing his cheek, stunned._

 _Astrid Hofferson had kissed him._

Hiccup gasped, almost falling over on the floor again. It was slowly coming back now… bits of memories… different feelings, actions… and now, this. He smiled, rubbing that same cheek Astrid had kissed years ago, but he winced. It was also the cheek Ryker had slapped.

"I'm sorry for hurting you, Astrid," he whispered, lowering his head. "I didn't mean to… I didn't know what I was doing. But now I do." Determined, Hiccup stood up, beginning to walk over to the doors.

"I no longer have an alliance with Ryker…."

He continued walking, and stopped when he reached the doorway. Narrowing his eyes against the sun, he could almost see Astrid and her Nadder flying away, back to Ryker's old base to finish the battle there.

Hiccup smiled.

"I'm helping you guys out, now."

* * *

 **Hehe! Told you! It's a SATISFYING cliffhanger!** **Whew! Now we know that Hiccup's not going to be evil anymore! But do the RIDERS know that? Does Ryker know that? WILL TOOTHLESS COME BACK INTO THE STORY OR WILL I CONTINUE TO KEEP HIM OUT?** ***sobs***

 **I'm sorry, Toothless… but we're focusing on HICCUP here! It's called How To Train Your HICCUP, not How To Train Your DRAGON! You had your chance! But I promise… YOU WILL BE IN FUTURE CHAPTERS!**

 **See you all at Chapter 15, the CHAPTER OF GOODNESS, SECRETS, AND LIES! Please review! :D**

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	15. Chapter 15

***giggles*** **Thanks for all the great reviews last chapter! I'm really happy that you liked that chapter! It took me all day to write bits and pieces (okay,** _ **five**_ **hours), so I'm glad it paid off! Also, WE ARE AT 5,000 VIEWS!** **THERE IS A NEW STORY COMING!** ***dances around* So, I finished the plot of the story, and HTTYH will have 25 chapters total!**

 **Okay guys, before I get to Shoutouts, I have to say something to some guests out there:**

 _ **WHO ARE THESE GUESTS THAT ARE GANGING UP ON ME?! YOU GUYS ARE** **NOT** **NICE! Humph, YEAH I'm finally calling you out! So what if I didn't do Shoutouts last time? It's MY decision! I don't care if you don't like the story. If you don't like reading it, THEN STOP READING AND GO BUG SOMEONE ELSE. Or I swear, I will call the guestbusters to take you away. STOP. BEING. MEAN. You know, whenever I get a bad review, it's always from a guest. You think you're so cool being untraceable, but really YOU ARE ANNOYING! Now, I don't know if it's the same guest doing it over and over again, but you need to stop it. Yeah, I'm putting you in time out. Or, again, I swear, I will contact the manager of FanFiction and ban guest reviews from my stories. Now, is that clear? I hope it is. So, stop reading if you don't like it. And, if you still want to read, then don't review. Simple as that, okay? Words can hurt. I'm not alone in saying this, and you really need to stop being the bullies of FanFiction. And I know what bullying is- I was bullied too as a kid. So please... just STOP IT.**_

 **katurdi: ****Well that was… interesting. I'm glad you're determined, though;)**

 **FanWriter02:** **Yay! Yeah, HICCUP IS BACK AND HE'S NOT STUPID ANYMORE! I'm so glad you liked the chapter! I liked it too, WHICH IS A BIG THING SINCE I'M THE WRITER AND I HATE EVERYTHING I WRITE.**

 **AvatarAngel0723 : ****Heh, I'm happy you liked the song! Yeah, Ryker needs to seriously die after slapping poor little Hiccup!:( Yeah, Hiccup could never be evil at heart:D. Heather is injured, but you'll have to see what happens next… the others don't know that Hiccup is back. Stoick was in the battle with Skullcrusher and Toothless. Viggo? How'd he come up in here? HICCSTRID KISS IS COMING IN CHAPTER 20. Yes, I watch Trollhunters! It's a great show, but I wish there were more Jim!whumps in it (made that up). My next song is next chapter. *wipes sweat off brow* Okay, you sure do ask a lot of questions!**

 **PKWolf014:** **Yes! You liked the story! HALLELUJAH! Yeah, I'm against swearing and that bad stuff, so you don't have to worry about that in the future! I like writing Hiccstird and Hicctooth bonding, and I guess the characters are mostly the same. *fist bumps the air* Mission accomplished. OMT, you are so nice! I'm glad you like it!**

 **animalsarepeopletoo:** **Yeah this was my favorite chapter too! I'm glad Bad Hiccup is gone. I HATED writing him:/. Heather is gravely injured, but you shall see her fate in the future.**

 **SailorMew4:** **Yeah! HICCUP IS BACK! YEAH! Heather… well… you'll see.**

 **Goldeneyeddragon101:** **Yay! That means I'm improving! Heh, am I that predictable? I really am updating as fast as I can, but school is pressing now. Heather will _! I'm your okay with that. Okay? Okay.**

 **HiccupZain: ****YES! YOU LIKED THE CHAPTER! Aw, you're really really sweet for saying that. Thank for for appreciating me writing the story. *tears up* It means a lot! P.S. And** _ **hill hanger?**_ **Hey, I kind of like that. ;)**

* * *

Heather was surrounded by pain, and it was almost becoming unbearable. She felt herself in someone's arms, being taken to someplace else. Yes, the person who was carrying her was walking… no, they were running. They were headed somewhere.

 _Hopefully somewhere to make the pain go away,_ she thought, wincing when her shoulder burned. It pained her like nothing she had ever experienced before. _I hope… Dagur is all right…_ She felt worried. Had her brother been injured too? She had lost consciousness before she could check to see if he was okay.

Heather felt whoever was carrying her come to a full stop, and then she was laid gently down on the soft grass. Heather was unable to open her eyes, but her ears worked just as well as before, and she picked up a sound. She heard…. Dagur talking to her.

"Hang on, sister," Dagur was saying, gripping Heather's hand in his. "You've got to hang on. I've got to get you help. Stay with me a little longer."

Heather was relieved. Dagur seemed alright, but now she knew that she was not. Heather grimaced, a wave of pain shooting through her shoulder. _Ow..._

"Please be alright, Heather," her brother said, his voice cracking. "I can't lose you too."

* * *

 _Okay. First thing I need to do, go spy in Ryker's room,_ Hiccup thought, walking down a hall of the building he was in. _Maybe I can find some kind of map to get around here… and then I'll know how to get around without attracting attention._

Hiccup paused, stopping in his footsteps. Should he really do this? Wasn't betrayal better than a possible death?

He shook his head, walking again. _No. The Dragon Riders are my…_ Wait. He couldn't very well call them his friends. Not without lying. He barely knew them, after all. _They're my allies,_ he decided with a nod. _Yes, my allies. And I can't give up on them just yet._

Hiccup continued walking, looking around in the dark halls. It was going to be impossible to find the room where Ryker was staying. Already, he had passed a dozen or more doors, but he was sure they weren't the right ones. They weren't guarded, and Hiccup was sure that Ryker wouldn't be stupid enough to leave anything as important as his own room without being looked after.

He felt nervous as he passed another door. No, that couldn't be it. It looked more like a small storage room than the leader of the Dragon Hunters' room.

Hiccup was about to go further along with his search, when a voice came from behind him.

"Hiccup."

The boy paused, stiffening. _Oh, Thor._ It was Ryker.

He had been found out.

"What are you doing here? I told you not to wander off," Ryker growled.

Hiccup winced, turning around to face the man. Ryker stood a dozen feet away, a stern expression on his face. His arms were crossed, but they looked ready to grab his sword at any moment. Hiccup gulped. "I-I was just trying to find my room," he lied, giving a simple shrug. "I was tired, and-"

Ryker put a hand up, stopping him. "You should have come to me, Hiccup. Not wander around like a lost dragon."

Stiffening, Hiccup sucked in a breath and rubbed his sore cheek. It stung from the time horus ago when Ryker had slapped him. "Well, I didn't know where you were, and I didn't want to bother you, so I decided to try and find my room myself."

 _Please believe the lie, please believe the lie…_

Thankfully, Ryker gave a nod of his head, seeming to buy it. "Alright, _Hiccup Haddock._ Let me show you to your room." He sneered. "And it's going to be a _bit_ smaller than before."

* * *

Dagur looked down at Heather worriedly, furrowing his brow.

They were now inside his ship, and Dagur had put Heather in bed, carefully wrapped in blankets. But Heather was shivering despite the supplied coziness, and she looked dangerously pale. Dagur bit his lip, feeling her forehead. Oh, gods, she felt warm, as if she had a fever…

His thoughts were interrupted by the pounding of footsteps racing down the hatch's stairs, and then that boy, Fishlegs, appeared, panting in desperation.

Fishlegs looked horrified to see Heather unconscious in the bed. "I-I noticed you two were gone from the battle, but I hadn't thought… I didn't think that..." He whimpered, and Dagur wondered if the boy might faint. He had heard he was that type of person who was unable to handle stress.

"She took a knife from a soldier," Dagur explained, his voice like ice. It softened as he glanced at his sister. "She saved me."

Fishlegs breathed out quickly. "O-okay, Dagur, I'm not much of a d-doctor, but I do know how to handle injuries like this. With Hiccup around, one can n-never be too certain about what to do in si-situations like this."

Dagur glanced up at Fishlegs in surprise, but interest. "You can help Heather?"

Fishlegs nodded. "I can. I just need to see the wound."

Leaning over his sister, Dagur slid up her right sleeve, revealing a white bandage that was pressed against her pale skin. "I dressed it as best as I could," he said. "But I never really looked into this… _healing_ business before. It was always destroying stuff for me. I had never thought of _fixing_ something."

Fishlegs nodded, but he seemed distracted. "Okay. Can you remove the bandage so I can see how bad the wound is?"

"Okay."

Dagur slowly unwrapped the bandage, and when it fell off… silence grasped the room. The stab wound was now a deep, ugly shade of purple, and was a bit green in some areas. Heather shivered, and her normal color of skin now looked ghastly white.

"Oh, no," Fishlegs whispered, walking over to the girl's side. "Oh, Thor, oh Thor... please, no…."

Dagur grew fearful for his sister's life. If this Fishlegs boy was worried, and he knew doctoring, it must've been bad. Very bad. "What _is_ it, Fishlegs?" he snapped, too worried for Heather to care how his tone sounded. "How bad is it?"

Fishlegs sniffed, his hand hovering above the wound, like he wished he could wave his hand and heal it. And he did wish that.

"Dagur," he said, not having the courage to face the Berserker, "I have... bad news." His voice cracked at the end of the sentence.

"What, Fishlegs? Spit it out! My sister is _hurt_!"

Fishlegs paused, blinking back stinging tears. _Please, please, don't be true..._ but he somehow knew it was. Dread filled him. "I think… I think the knife... was poisoned."

* * *

Hiccup's room was very, very small. There was only enough space for one tiny bed shoved into the corner, and a small dresser pressed in beside it.

Sitting down on his new bed with a sigh, Hiccup crossed his arms. Nothing was going as planned. He hadn't learned anything new, and now Ryker was getting suspicious of his actions. Hiccup felt a longing for someone to talk to. He realized just how lonely he had been these past few days, and he wanted to do something about it.

Sure, he had talked to Ryker occasionally, but that was only during their swordplay or when Ryker was threatening him to go through with terrible deeds.

No, Hiccup wanted a friend right now.

A picture flashed across his mind, along with a strong feeling, labeling it _friend._

The Night Fury was the topic of the picture, blinking up at him. He grinned at Hiccup, flapping his tongue open. _He is my friend,_ Hiccup thought, surprised that he suddenly felt this way. _Toothless… yes… he was my friend. No, he_ is _my friend. He's still out there, waiting for me to come back home. And I need to get back to him._

He remembered that incredible feeling of taking the sunset flight with Astrid, how high they soared on Toothless's back, how beautiful it was where the dragons stayed… he wanted to go back there again. Back to where it was peaceful. Back to where there was no Ryker. No allies. No enemies. No dangerous secrets that could get him killed if he slipped up.

 _If I was with Toothless, he'd want me to cheer up,_ Hiccup told himself, tipping his head. _I have to have hope for the better. For Toothless._

He could almost imagine the dragon bouncing around the room, trying to catch his tail while Hiccup laughed from the corner, too amused to tell his friend that it was useless.

 _The Night Fury… my friend… my_ best _friend..._

A pang of loneliness hit his heart, and he blinked tears back.

 _My dragon._

 _Toothless._

He coughed, upset.

 _I._

 _Want._

 _Toothless._

And right then, Hiccup decided that back to Toothless he would go.

* * *

What?" Dagur's voice snapped like a whip. "Please tell me you didn't say what you just said. You didn't. Please, Fishlegs..."

Fishlegs didn't turn to him and remained standing over Heather. "I'm sorry, Dagur," he softly said. "I'm _so sorry_. But, the color the wound has turned… I'd know that color anywhere. If it's on her skin... she's... _gods_... she's poisoned..." He shivered. "Why did this have to happen to Heather? She was amazing… selfless… brave…"

Fishlegs would have gone on, but Heather groaned.

Dagur and Fishlegs perked up at the sound. Was Heather waking at last?

Heather moaned again, and shifted in bed. "Dagur…," she mumbled, her eyes remaining closed. "Fishlegs… I… I can hear you… say something... if you're still there... _please_..."

Both of the boys wanted to be the first to speak, but Fishlegs beat Dagur to it. He gripped Heather's hand. "I'm here, Heather. It's Fishlegs. I'm right here... I won't leave..." He paused, not wanting to break the bad news to her. "Heather… how do you feel?"

Heather grimaced. "Hot... no, cold… actually, hot again... _agh_ , my shoulder hurts too…"

Fishlegs laid a hand on Heather's forehead, muttering something only he could hear. Dagur straightened, worried, and he pulled the boy aside. "Fishlegs? What is it?" he hissed, trying not to be loud enough for Heather to hear.

Fishlegs sighed. "She's starting to run a fever. That's one of the first signs of... of poisoning."

Dagur cursed out his frustration. "Are you sure there's no other explanation? She… she could have gotten bruised on her shoulder when the dagger hit her. That's why it's so purple. And her fever-"

"Dagur, all the signs are there," Fishlegs breathed, tears glimmering prominently in his eyes. "Heather... she's been poisoned… and we don't even know how bad it is. I'll have to run a few tests to see what type of poison it is, but…"

"But what, Fishlegs?" Dagur breathed, terrified for his sister. "But what?"

"It's takes a long time to complete the examination. And if we're too late in figuring out the antidote…" Fishlegs shook his head, at last losing a tear that dripped down his cheek.

"Dagur... if we can't find the cure... if something else happens... we... we may lose Heather... forever."

* * *

Hiccup did not sleep peacefully that night.

His nightmares were full of letting the Thunderdrum die in the water, hurting Astrid during the fight that day, and betraying his friends to join Ryker, a man who probably was planning on killing him in the end anyways.

And then there was Toothless.

His once-best friend which Hiccup had, up until now, was frightened of. The dragon who he had possibly _hated_ at a point in time. The dragon who helped him save his village, the figure who shaped Hiccup's whole life. Hiccup wouldn't be the same person he was today if it wasn't for Toothless.

"I'll find you, Toothless," he murmured, leaning against the pillow of his bed. "Even if I have to travel a thousand miles, I'll find you."

He paused.

"But I just hope you find me first."


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey, guys! I'm back!**

 **Okay! Here's my next song. I changed up the lyrics of** " **Fight Song".** **I hope it's inspirational!**

 _ **Like a small story, on FanFiction**_

 _ **Sending big reviews, into motion**_

 _ **Like how a single author's note**_

 _ **Can make a story open**_

 _ **I might only have a few ideas**_

 _ **But my FanFiction can make an explosion**_

 _ **And all those things I didn't write**_

 _ **Rude people yelling at me left and right**_

 _ **I will scream them away loud tonight**_

 _ **Can everyone read my writing this time?**_

 _ **This is my writing song**_

 _ **Take back my ideas song**_

 _ **Prove I'm a good writer song**_

 _ **My computer's turned on**_

 _ **My finger's will have to be strong**_

 _ **I'll play my writing song**_

 _ **And I don't really care if nobody reviews**_

 _ **Because that's what people will choose**_

 **And also, to that guest who sent me back the really long reply, I wasn't talking about you. I mean, you're not mean. You at least criticize in a helpful way. But some are guests… well... they are truly mean, so I didn't want you to misunderstand its direction I was going in. I didn't mean that I just wanted positive reviews. I meant that I didn't want all these guest readers ganging up on me. So… yeah.**

 **Shoutouts:**

 **FanWriter02:** **Aw, thanks! Yep, Hictooth was there in spirit! In here, though, HE WILL BE REAL! *gasps, amazed***

 **katurdi:** **Yay! I'm glad you liked the Hictooth! Yes, THE KNIFE WAS POSIONED. Sorry, it had to happen:(.**

 **PKWolf014:** **Yeah, guests can get nasty. I'm so glad that you felt inspired! Please do write more! Clean writing is my thing, so no worries! Yep, I'm relieved that Hiccup is back too. Aw, QUEEN C for Queen Cliffhanger? You're really nice! I'm so glad you liked the chapter! I hope you like this one too!**

 **animalsarepeopletoo:** **Haha! Heather is poisoned! I'm glad you liked the Hictooth, and I'm even happier it made you tear up! Yeah, Hiccup is like in Behind Rebel Lines, only in a more precarious situation…;)**

 **SailorMew4:** **Heather's condition will be revealed more in the future! I'm happy you liked the Hictooth!**

 **AvatarAngel0723:** **You'll see what will happen next in this chapter of course;). Fishlegs is doing the best he can, and Heather's feelings will be revealed about Fishlegs too. The others will react to having Hiccup back in Chapter _, Hiccup still likes Astrid but Astrid doesn't know it yet, and my song is above! Whew! THE QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED!**

 **Hiccstridlover13:** **Yeah, but guests can be mean sometimes:/. Aw, thanks! I'm glad you like my stories! Thanks!:) I hope the rude guests stop bothering me too:(**

 **flopy:** **Yes! More Hictooth will come in the near future! Probably Chapter 17-18.**

 **Dragxn Defender:** **Oh, stop being so dramatic ;)**

* * *

Fishlegs dabbed at Heather's hot forehead with a wet cloth, fighting back coming tears.

It had been a day since Heather had been poisoned, and the battle with the Dragons Hunters had only finished a few hours ago, ending up with the Berserkers and the Dragon Riders winning. So far, Stoick, Toothless, and Astrid had been notified of Heather's poisoning, but no one else had been told- not even Heather-, in fear of a panic breaking out.

Astrid had been horrified to learn of Heather's fragile condition. She was deeply concerned that she would lose her best friend forever. Fishlegs still was not making any process on figuring out what kind of poison it was, or how to cure it.

They were stuck.

Dagur was the worst out of all of them. He refused to leave his sister's side, snapping at everyone who talked to him. But Fishlegs had eventually convinced the Berserker leader to give his warriors a grateful speech on winning the battle, which was what he was doing at the moment. Only Fishlegs remained with Heather.

And he would never leave her side.

In that moment, Heather moaned, her eyes flickering open. "Fishlegs?" she whispered, her voice scratchy. "Is that you?"

Smiling, Fishlegs nodded, wiping her warm forehead again with the cloth. "Yes, it's me, Heather. How do you feel? Do you think you can eat? Drink? We need to get some fluids into you."

Heather grimaced. "No eating. I feel… sick…"

"How about some water, then?"

The girl bit her lip. "If you think it will help, Fishlegs, then okay. I trust you."

A pang hit Fishlegs heart, and he swallowed. He couldn't continue this masquerade any longer. "Heather. I… I have to tell you something." He let out a breath, preparing for the horrible moment coming. "You've… well… y-you see, the dagger that sunk into your arm… i-it… was poisoned..."

As soon as he said it, Fishlegs wished he could take it back.

Heather froze, her expression unreadable. She seemed to be trying to piece her thoughts together before speaking once more. "Poisoned, you say? What kind of poison?"

Fishlegs winced. "We don't k-know yet."

"Is there an antidote?"

The boy turned his head away, not wanting to face his friend. "Not that we know of… and H-Heather… y-your condition isn't getting any better, s-so…" He trailed off. "Who knows? Maybe it just takes time to heal, but-"

"Fishlegs, am I going to die?" Heather asked quietly.

Fishleg's eyes watered. "No, Heather," he said, shaking his head. "You're not going to die. Not while I'm still here. I-I'll do everything I can to heal you. I promise."

Heather smiled. It was weak, but it was still there. "I-if things don't turn out the way you think, then… I have to tell you something."

"Heather, no, You'll be fine!"

"Fishlegs, I need to say this." Heather fought back expression from her face, yet her steel aura faltered. "If I do die, I want you to know that I… love you. I never stopped loving you, even when I left the Edge. I… care deeply for you, Fishlegs. You know, when I left Dragon's Edge, I thought that all my feelings would fade away over time. I thought, now that I had Dagur back, he'd fill some kind of void… but over time, it just got worse." She sighed, slightly shaking her head. "When you guys came back to ask us if we could lend the entire Berserker army, I didn't hesitate. I really wanted to help. But… now, I guess, I've messed everything up." She dryly laughed. "I'm sorry."

"Heather," Fishlegs whispered. "Don't ever say that. Nothing is ever your fault. You've helped us out so much to save Hiccup already, and I can never repay you for all that you've done. I… I love you too."

Heather smiled, her eyes shutting. "I'll see you the next time I wake up, Fishlegs..."

"Until then, Heather," Fishlegs murmured, patting her hand.

"Until then."

* * *

"Keep your guard up!" Ryker snapped, lunging at Hiccup with his sword. "You're even worse than last time! Come on, boy! Fight!"

Hiccup slashed his sword at Ryker, but it was half-hearted. He was distracted by his thickening thoughts about spying on Ryker, and the boy had decided to fool him into thinking Hiccup was becoming a terrible swordsman. That way Ryker wouldn't know just how good Hiccup was getting.

Ryker parried Hiccup's move with ease, rolling his eyes. "I don't understand. You were much better a few days ago…"

The boy shrugged, ducking as Ryker's sword nearly decapitated him. "Well, that was days ago. Maybe it was beginner's luck."

"No," the man growled, lowering his sword to put a pause to the fight. "You were learning quickly the last time we sparred. I was sure you'd be up another level by now. But you've declined, and now I'm wondering if you're even trying."

 _Not even a little bit,_ Hiccup thought to himself, trying not to scowl at Ryker. "I am. Do you _think_ I want to get all these cuts?" He gestured to his arms, which were covered in red lacerations. Ryker had hit Hiccup with his sword more than his fair quota should have been.

"With you, it's hard to tell sometimes."

Hiccup chuckled, sliding his sword into its sheath. "Believe me, I don't like the pain more than anyone does."

Ryker glared. "I'm keeping an eye on you, Hiccup. You're hiding something. If you tell me what it is now, I'll let you off easy. If you continue to keep your secret from me…" It was clear that his sentence ended with a threat.

Hiccup blinked. "I'm not hiding anything."

"You may think you can fool me, Hiccup," Ryker grunted, narrowing his eyes, "but you can't. I'll always find out in the end."

Uncomfortable, Hiccup shifted on his feet. He was more than ready to sit down and relax for the rest of the day, except Ryker wouldn't let him go that easily. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, sir. I'm not hiding anything. And even if I was, I would've told you by now." He swallowed. "There's nothing else behind the facts. I hate the Dragon Riders, and I want to kill them."

Ryker raised a brow, massaging his neck. "Alright, Hiccup," he said coldly, glowering down at the boy. "If you want to prove your worth, you're going to have to kill one of the Riders to do it. And only when that time comes will I believe you."

Hiccup gulped.

* * *

"I want to get up," Heather complained, struggling to sit up in bed. "I'm bored out of my mind, and I feel fine! Better than ever!"

Fishlegs and Dagur tried to stop her while Astrid crossed her arms from the other side of the room, looking down at Toothless. "She's not going to go down easily, is she, Toothless?" she murmured, giving the dragon a pat on the head.

Toothless snorted, barely blinking. All his thoughts were focused on Hiccup. He didn't have time for any other concerns.

"Heather, you're not well!" Fishlegs cut in, and shook his head, trying to push her back down into her cot. "The poison will travel through you quicker if you move around. You have to stay as still as you can until I find an antidote!"

"Well, what if you don't, Fishlegs?" Heather asked, refusing to back down. "I don't want to spend my final weeks stuck up in a bed while you read your books. I want to go on a flight with Windshear. At least give me that, okay?"

Dagur sighed. "Heather, if Fishlegs says that you need to-"

"Please, Dagur. I have to do this. You'll have to lock me up in chains to keep me from getting out of bed, so why don't you make it easy and just let me go."

Astrid cocked her head. "I can take Heather on a flight this evening. It's supposed to be a full moon, and I'm sure she'd love that." She winked at Heather. It was true, Astrid did want her friend to do what she yearned. She would help in whatever way she could.

"Fine," Fishlegs grumbled, crossing his arms. "Only for tonight, though. But you have to sleep for the rest of the day, alright? It's best you save your energy."

Heather nodded, her green eyes shining as she laid back in bed. "Okay. I suppose it's the best bet I have to get out of here." She smiled over at Astrid, though it was hard to from her position. "Hey, thanks. I appreciate you taking me on a flight."

"Yeah, well, it will be good to take my mind off you-know-what."

The room silenced. Nobody wanted to mention the missing Hiccup around Astrid. It just saddened her more than she was, and no one wished to do that.

The Riders had no plan to get Hiccup back. None. Zero. _Ninguna._ They knew where Hiccup was being held, at least, but the base was heavily fortified and it would be impossible to get away with a winning attack. Their last hope was that somehow Hiccup would be left unguarded on the island, and that's when they would take him.

So, yes. Not much of a likely possibility.

"We'll get him back, Astrid," Heather said, shifting from her spot. "Hiccup can handle himself. He's experienced in this kind of stuff-"

"No, the _old_ Hiccup was," Astrid interrupted, rubbing her eyes. "This Hiccup… he doesn't know anything about being kidnapped or fighting back. He doesn't know that Ryker's a villain, or that he loves dragons." She bit her lip. "Like Gustav said a few days ago, he's not the same person anymore. He's changed."

She sighed.

"But we can't worry about that right now… I'll see you tonight, Heather. Feel better." Astrid paused before walking off. "And, just so you know, I think it's getting more and more unlikely that we'll ever get Hiccup back." She swallowed. "Ever."

* * *

Hiccup was horrified.

He had just had a terrible, _terrible_ flashback once he returned to his room earlier that day. Hiccup had been on Toothless in the flashback, battling a giant monster called the Red Death. It was terrifying to experience, and even more so when Hiccup got to the part where he was knocked off of Toothless.

Then he was falling into the fire, and his vision faded into blackness.

Hiccup rubbed his sore cheek. That must have been the dragon he had lost his leg to. Seeing Toothless in the memory was comforting, but the feeling wore off as the remembrance of almost being killed gripped him.

How had he forgotten so much?

* * *

That night, Astrid decided to take Toothless instead of Stormfly on the flight with Heather. The Night Fury was ecstatic to get up in the air again, making Astrid laugh at his wild enthusiasm.

Heather seemed better than before, yet she was still weak. Luckily, Windshear was a very well trained dragon and knew just how to fly to be in her rider's comfort zone. Once the two girls took off, the emptiness of the night overtook them.

"Nice, isn't it?" Astrid called over to Heather in the dark. "Finally, some peace."

Astrid could make out Heather nodding from her dragon. "It is." She coughed, rubbing her temple. "I'm glad we could go… seeing Dagur and Fishlegs so depressed was making me crazy. They were always asking how I was and if I needed anything…"

Astrid laughed. "Yeah, I'm kind of the same way with Hiccup. I've had to take care of him when he's sick or hurt, and I can tell he feels the same way about my attitude."

"Well, I'm glad you're not my doctor then."

There was a pause, before Astrid decided to speak.

"So," she began. "Are you and Fishlegs getting al- wait. What is that?" She squinted in the inky darkness, trying to make out the figure she had saw down below in the water. Astrid was sure it had been there, but she couldn't spot it now.

 _What…?_

"What's what?" Heather asked, confused.

"I thought I saw something," Astrid answered, shaking her head. "But neverm- _ahhhhhh!"_ She screamed as a net was shot around her, causing Toothless to fall to the ocean floor.

"Astrid!" Heather yelled, flying after them. "Don't worry! We'll save you!" But she was too late. A second later, Heather and Windshear were shot down with a net as well, and the two Riders plummeted to the ocean surface.

 _It must be Dragon Hunters!_ Astrid thought, suddenly hitting the deck of a ship. "Let us go!" she demanded, fumbling to remove the net from her shoulders. "Whoever captured us, show yourself! Now!"

"There's no need to yell, _Astrid,_ " a deep voice replied from a few yards away.

"Who are you?" Astrid snapped. "Come into the light!"

A figure stepped out of the shadows, and it turned out to be…

Ryker.

The man grinned at the sight of the two girls caught in the nets, and he chuckled.

"Well, now look what the tide brought in…"

* * *

 **Ahhhhhh! CLIFFHANGER!**

 **So sorry for the late update- again-. Our foster puppies have been taking up a lot of time! So far, A LOT OF ACCIDENTS. :( But they're really cute so I forgive them!**

 **Sorry if this isn't edited great… I had 5 and a half hours of sleep last night and I'm exhausted! Grrrr, NEEDY REVIEWERS NEEDING UPDATES ALL THE TIME!**

 **(Just kidding, I totally understand why you keep wanting to read this awesome story *wiggles eyebrows*)**

 **Also, a random question but important nonetheless (to me): I was wondering if anyone on here did DeviantArt stuff, and if they'd be willing to sketch/draw a scene from here or one of my other stories…? No pressure, but I just thought it would be cool to see. I'm hopeless at art- even my stick figures are terrible-, so I can't do it myself. Anyways… Yeah. Just let me know if you want to do it!**

 **And with that, I'll be heading off to GO TO BED! Finally!**

 **See you all tomorrow! But I won't be able to update a lot of stuff, because Fridays are my school days and I've been neglecting it.. *laughs nervously***

 **See ya next chapter! WHAT WILL HAPPEN?**

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey, guys! AH I FEEL SO TERRIBLE. I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN LIKE 3 DAYS OR SOMETHING. I. AM. SO. SORRY. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW SORRY I AM. You may be thinking,** _ **Oh, she better have a life-or-death reason why she didn't update in these past few days!**_ **Well, it just happens so, I do. It WAS a life or death situation, because…**

 **ONE OF MY FOSTER PUPPIES ALMOST DIED. You see, we have 3 puppies, and we just gave them collars two days ago, so they were all playing when suddenly, 2 of them started to SCREAM. It was a bone-chilling scream, so very very terrible… *shivers* It turned out, one of our foster puppies couldn't get his teeth unstuck from the other one's collar, AND IT WAS CHOKING THE PUPPY. For a minute, the collar was twisted and stuck, all the while the puppies were screaming, and one was choking. Finally, though, we managed to break them apart and they were both really scared… *breathes out* THAT was a terrible thing to experience. One of the most scariest moments of my life… But they're okay now. No worries.**

 **Anyways, I'll do Shoutouts and then get to the much awaited for Chapter 17.**

 **Shoutouts:**

 **katurdi:** **Heh, yes. CLIFFHANGER. Well, aren't you smart? Or am I predictable? Gods, I'm gonna drive myself nuts figuring it out...**

 **Antox:** **Yeah! DON'T GIVE UP ASTRID! YOU GOTTA HANG ON!**

 **FanWriter02:** **Cliffies are my thing;). Yay! I'm glad you'll be updating Grounded!**

 **animalsarepeopletoo:** **But. I. Did. End. It. There. Deal with it! *sticks tongue out* Ha, yes Heather's poisoned but I can CERTAINLY kidnap her! I'm so happy you liked the chapter!**

 **PKWolf014:** ***yells "AHHHHH" with you* Yes, HICCUP IS REMEMBERING! YEAH! I'm soooo glad you liked the chapter! I was rapidly typing it up at like 9:45 at night, thinking** _ **Ahhhhh! This is gonna be terrible… everyone's gonna hate it…**_

 **Dragxn Defender:** **Yeah you'll die even more at the end of this chapter! And it's okay, you don't have to draw anything. I'm cool with no drawings now. Thanks for offering, though!**

 **AvatarAngel0723:** **Yay! I'm glad you liked the song and Heathlegs! You'll have to see how everyone reacts… and who says they WILL escape? Heather might not be saves *cackles*. Hiccup is still unstable, though…;). You'll have to see what happen to Ryker as well, you** _ **will**_ **have more Hiccstrid in Chapters 19-21, and Hictooth in Chapter 18. Heathlegs later on! The twins will have a moment in chapter 23. You'll get another song (or two:D) at the end of this chapter, I promise! And I'll try to update as fast as I can!**

 **Goldeneyedragon101:** **Yeah! BOO, RYKER! BOO! He better not try to kill anyone! I'm trying to keep him under control, but it's hard…. Yes, RYKER WILL NEVER WIN. NEVER. NEVER! *sniffs* Oh, Hiccstrid kiss will come in Chapter 20! And Heathlegs kiss will come too:).**

 **rubberbandgal:** **Yyyyooooooouuuu'llll hhhaaavvveee ttttooooo ssssssseeeeeeee.**

 **phieillydinyia:** **Hehe, you'll see just what happens...**

 **Thanks for reviewing, guys:). It means so much! Also, FanFiction is acting weird today so I don't know if your reviews, faves, and follows will get through… HOPEFULLY they'll finish soon. I don't want all your reviews and stuff to be lost because of FanFiction's error! But it should be fixed by tomorrow...**

 **Okay… Chapter 17, HERE WE** _ **FINALLY**_ **COME!**

* * *

As soon as Ryker knocked on Hiccup's door the next morning, Hiccup knew something was wrong.

"Hiccup," Ryker called, his voice full of dark amusement. "I've got a little _surprise_ for you…"

 _Surprise?_ thought Hiccup as he climbed out of bed. _That doesn't sound good… Ryker must have something planned… something bad…_ He reached the door, and opened it slowly.

Ryker towered above him, glowering down at the boy. "Come with me," he ordered.

Hiccup swallowed, and nodded. "Yes, sir."

Ryker started to storm away, and Hiccup followed with unease. What did Ryker have in store for him? Another test? Hiccup shivered at the memory of letting the Thunderdrum dragon die as Hiccup watched. _If he gives me another test like that, I won't hesitate to choose the right choice,_ he decided. _Even if that means Ryker will know that I'm not working for him anymore…_

 _If he doesn't know that already, that is…._

Before he knew it, Ryker was leading him down a stone stairway, not even caring that it was almost too dark to see anything. As the two got closer to the end of the staircase, Hiccup realized something. _They were being led to the dungeons._ Immediately, he panicked. Ryker must have known he was a traitor, and he was going to put Hiccup in a cell to rot for the rest of his life or kill him first. He was about to make a break for it, being certain his cover was blown, when suddenly Ryker stopped.

Hiccup was forced to stop walking as well, and he blinked, confused. _What…?_

Ryker grabbed a poorly lit torch from the left side of the wall, and he blew on it until it grew in its blaze. Then he started towards a prison cell, unnerving Hiccup.

 _He's going to put me inside… oh, Thor, how'd he find out? I thought I hid my secret well enough…_ Hiccup sighed. _I guess not. Sorry, Astrid… sorry, Dad. Sorry Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruff, Tuff, and Gobber…_ He blinked back tears. _I'm sorry, Toothless. Maybe one day you guys will rescue me. One day..._

That's when a cough rang out.

It was a deep, sickly cough, and it sounded much like a painful hack. Hiccup cocked his head, surprised. Could it be that Ryker simply wanted to show him a prisoner, and that was all? Maybe so… maybe it wasn't too bad...

"So, Hiccup," Ryker said, turning to the boy. "I'd like you to meet some prisoners of mine. I'm sure you'll find them very… _interesting."_

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. "Okay? I just don't see why-"

And then he saw the prisoners.

* * *

It was getting late, and Dagur was worried. Heather and Astrid hadn't returned from their flight yet, filling him with a pit of worry.

What if Heather had collapsed on Windshear, and that forced the two girls to land on a sea stack in hopes that someone would come to their rescue? What if they had gotten lost, and Heather's fragile condition was getting worse over the stretching time?

Dagur drummed his fingers on the wooden railing of the deck, looking out into the inky blackness. He prayed to the gods for Heather and Astrid to appear.

They never did.

The Berserker was suddenly startled by a voice from behind him.

"Dagur? I have news."

Dagur turned around, concerned. He saw that it was that Fishlegs boy. "What news? Is it about Heather? Did she come back yet?" Maybe he hadn't seen the girls land, and they were both safe and sound… yes, he hoped that it was true. It _had_ to be true.

Fishlegs shook his head, bringing a thick book tucked under his arm into view. "No, they didn't come back yet, but I might have figured out what Heather's poison is, and possibly a cure to it."

Freezing, Dagur broke into a smile. "That's great!"

Fishlegs winced. "Uh, Dagur, I have some bad new as well… okay, let me start with the basics." He flipped open his book, skimming through the pages until he landed on the right one. "Ah, here it is." Fishlegs cleared his throat. "The poison Heather was injected with is known as darkweed poison. It grows only in the deepest caverns, and likes a warm, moist environment to grow in."

Dagur frowned. "Yes, yes. I don't really care what the poison _is_. All I want to know is there a cure and where I can find it."

Fishlegs nodded. "I'm getting to that part." He took in a shaky breath. "S-so, darkweed poison is one of the most deadliest poisons in the archipelago…" At Dagur's horrified look, Fishlegs stiffened. "But t-there is a cure for it, thankfully."

Dagur breathed a sigh of relief. "Where can we find it?"

The boy lowered his head. "That's just the thing… the book doesn't say. The antidote is a special kind of juice from the quanan berries. When squeezed, the quanan berry releases a healing j-juice, which can be made into a drink to heal darkweed poison."

The Berserker scratched the back of his head. "Quanan berries? I've never heard of them." He stiffened. "You- Fishlegs-, if we don't know how to find these… _quanan berries,_ then how will Heather be healed?" He swallowed. "How long does my sister have left? You said the poison was deadly."

Fishlegs sighed. "Dagur. Heather, she…"

"What, Fishlegs?" Dagur demanded. "I have to know."

The boy swallowed. "Heather has three days to live before the poison reaches her heart. If she doesn't get the antidote into her by then…"

Dagur took in an uneven breath. "No…"

"Y-Yes, Dagur... H-Heather will die."

* * *

To Hiccup's infinite shock- and horror-, Astrid and Heather were the prisoners in Ryker's cell.

At first, Hiccup didn't recognize Heather, but her name slowly came back to him. He held in a gasp, stumbling backward. _No… no… Dagur couldn't have captured them… and I was so close to finding a way to escape… but now Heather and Astrid are captured… this ruins the plan..._

Astrid looked up at Hiccup from inside the cell, Heather leaning limply against her shoulder. Heather released another cough, and Astrid patted her back. "H-Hiccup?" she asked, her tone full of disbelief. "How-"

Ryker laughed, interrupting her. He turned his head to examine the shocked Hiccup. "I picked up a few of your Riders last night, and they've been here ever since…" He frowned, looking back at Astrid and Heather. "Though one of them seems to be doing worse than the other…"

Astrid brought Heather closer to her in a protective way. "One of your men poisoned her… and you better give us an antidote, or else I'll kill you! _Give Heather the antidote!_ "

Ryker snorted, crossing his arms. "And now why would I do that?"

"Because Hiccup is going to tell you to." Astrid looked over at Hiccup, her eyes pleading. "Hiccup, please. Tell Ryker to give you the antidote to Heather's poison, or else she'll die." Astrid's gaze hardened. "Hiccup, I know that somewhere inside of you, you want to help us. Please, listen to what your urges are telling you to do..."

Hiccup hesitated. He truly did want to help Astrid and Heather, but if he revealed that in front of Ryker… well, the Captain of the Dragon Hunters would not be pleased. He'd know that Hiccup was no longer on his side, and he'd slice him through. Hiccup swallowed. "I'm sorry, Astrid. I can't do that."

Astrid looked shocked. "What? Hiccup…"

"How about I make it more clear?" Hiccup interrupted, wincing at his angry tone. He didn't want to hurt Astrid, but it was the only way to make Ryker believe he was still on the Dragon Hunters' side. "I'm not one of you anymore. Honestly, I don't know why I ever was. I hate dragons, I hate Berk, and most of all, I hate of you. You keep on trying to get me to think I'm good. Well, I'm not. I've joined with Ryker- why can't you just accept that? I'm not helping the Dragon Riders, and I never will again. I'm not the same Hiccup you knew before… I've changed. I'm stronger. I'm better. And, the only reason why you keep on hoping that I'll come back is because you're just too weak to believe otherwise."

Astrid jolted back in shock, making Heather moan from her shoulder. Astrid patted her friend's back. "Hiccup," she said quietly. "You better hope you didn't mean that, or you have another thing coming, Dragon Boy."

Hiccup tried not to flinch. Maybe he _had_ been a bit harsh…

Ryker laughed, approving Hiccup's speech. "I'm afraid you won't be getting out of that cell anytime soon, _Astrid_. And even if you do, it won't be for a long, long time." He sneered. "By then, Miss Heather will be dead. The poison inside of her kills quickly."

Astrid scowled. "What is the antidote? Give it to Heather! She hasn't done anything wrong! Please, take me instead. Just heal Heather!"

Ryker raised a brow. "That wouldn't really matter, since I already have you." He drew his sword, walking towards the cell. "Now that I think about it, I may just run her through now. She's of no use to me. You're the only valuable one here."

Hiccup grimaced. _No! I can't let Ryker kill Heather… not when there's a chance of saving her._ "Ryker," he interceded, stepping forward. "Heather _is_ valuable like Astrid is. Perhaps even more so. Listen here..."

Ryker turned to Hiccup, confused. "What?"

"Heather is the sister of the Berserker chief, Dagur," Hiccup explained, earning a glare from Astrid. "Dagur adores his sister. He'd do anything to protect her. If you kept her alive, you could use her as a bargaining chip. In exchange for Heather, he'd have to surrender to you. It's a deal he'd never pass up."

Ryker smiled, placing his sword back in the sheath strapped to his back. "I like that plan, Hiccup. Perhaps you're not as incompetent as I first thought."

Astrid grew desperate. "Then give Heather the antidote! You said you'd keep her alive!"

Ryker glowered at her. "I said," he began, his voice threatening, "I wouldn't run her through. No, only when Dagur agrees to surrender his army to me will I give her the antidote. Until then, Heather will just have to get by." He pursed his lips. "By the way she's looking, I'd say she has a few days left at most. Dagur will have to make a speedy choice- or else his sister dies."

"Sir, Heather doesn't look like she'll make it through the night, let alone a few more days," Hiccup pushed. "She needs the antidote, and now. What's the harm in giving it to her? If Dagur doesn't agree to your conditions, you can kill her then."

Ryker swerved to Hiccup, and sent a giant slap to his face. Hiccup was knocked to the ground, and he grunted in pain.

" _I said that I wouldn't give her the antidote now, and I won't!"_ Ryker roared, his gaze furious. "Don't you listen to orders, Hiccup? Never, _ever,_ question me again."

Astrid gasped. "Hiccup! Are you okay?"

 _Why does she still care what happens to me?_ Hiccup thought, rubbing his sore cheek. He winced. It was the same cheek Ryker had slapped a few days ago… "I'm fine." He swallowed, looking back up at Ryker. "Understood, sir. I… I won't question your decisions anymore. You obviously know what's best."

Ryker nodded. "You better, Hiccup Haddock." He started to walk away. "Watch the prisoners. I've got better things to do than let them escape…"

"Yes, sir."

Ryker disappeared, leaving Hiccup alone with Astrid and Heather.

* * *

Dagur paced the deck. Heather and Astrid still hadn't returned, and it was morning… and _late_ morning, at that….

Suddenly, a soldier ran up to him, panting. "Your Derangedness, sir, I have news!"

Stiffening, Dagur nodded. "Out with it then!"

The Berserker soldier swallowed, and stood to his full height. "Some of the other men spotted Dragon Hunter ships lurking in the area! They were a few miles off, and heading back to Ryker's base."

Dagur sucked in a breath. It all made sense now. Heather and Astrid had been captured by Dragon Hunters… that was why they hadn't come back yet…

And now they were in trouble.

"Get every man ready!" Dagur shouted, more to the rest of the crew than the one soldier in specific. "We're going to the Dragon Hunters' base to get back my sister!" He darkened, glaring out at the sea. "And after that, I'm going to run Ryker through myself."

* * *

Hiccup sat up with a groan, and looked over at Astrid and Heather in the cell. "How are you doing in there?" he asked.

Astrid was surprised with Hiccup's sudden concern. "I'm fine," she said. "But Heather…" Astrid looked down at her friend. Heather was shivering, yet she was burning up with fever. A black spiderweb ran down her arm from the spot the knife had sunk into, and that concerned Astrid the most. Heather _was_ poisoned. There was no denying it now.

Hiccup stood up, and smiled. "Don't worry. She'll be fine." He lowered his voice, and got closer to the cell. He couldn't risk Ryker hearing what he was going to say next. "I'm on your side now, Astrid." When Astrid stared with disbelief, Hiccup grew more firm with his words. "I am. And I'm sorry I said all those things before… I couldn't let Ryker know what I was planning on. I had to convince him that I was on his side, so he wouldn't know." He paused, trying to find something that would convince her. "After our fight, I had a flashback, and I realized how much you mean to me. All those great times we had together, the battles we fought, the moments we shared… please, Astrid. Believe me."

Shocked, Astrid's blue eyes filled with relief. "Hiccup. You're back!"

Hiccup nodded. "Yeah, sorry it took me so long to come to my senses." He smirked apologetically. "Now, my first task is to get Heather that antidote. You see, I've been looking around here, and…" He looked around, making sure no one could hear him. "I learned more about what kinds of defenses the Dragon Hunters use. Of course, there's Dragon Root arrows for the dragons, but they've been working on things for people…"

"Poison," Astrid filled in, now understanding. "So, what did you learn?"

Hiccup smiled. "A lot. Heather's been poisoned with darkweed. It's a weed that emits a dangerous poison when squeezed, and weapons can be dipped in it. Once you're stabbed with the poisoned weapon, you have four to five days to live. It… moves quick in the body."

Astrid furrowed her brow. "What about the cure? Do you have it?"

"I don't have it with me, but I know where to find it," Hiccup said. "They store it somewhere in one of the storage rooms… I'm sure I can find it."

Sighing, Astrid shook her head. "Hiccup, it's too dangerous."

"I have to try, though," Hiccup interrupted, strangely determined to save Heather's life. He could barely recall any memories about Heather, but he knew that she was a close friend and he had to help her. "Heather will die if I don't."

"Why are you even helping us?" Astrid questioned, cocking her head. "How do I know you're not just pretending that you're good now?"

"Astrid, you have to trust me," Hiccup said calmly. "There's only one way we're going to get out of this- together. You trust me, I trust you. You have to trust that I'll get us out of here." His eyes widened. "Wait… that sounds familiar…"

Astrid nodded. "Yes, you say that during trust falls with Toothless… wait…" Astrid grew horrified. "Toothless! Windshear! Gods, I completely forgot about them… they've been taken by Ryker too..." She suddenly felt relieved for not bringing Stormfly along, but knowing that Toothless and Windshear were locked up somewhere brought fear back to her mind. "Hiccup, you have to find them before they're killed."

Hiccup was alarmed. Toothless and Windshear had been captured too? That would make his job even harder. "I will," he promised, walking closer to her cell. "I'll find the dragons, get Heather the cure, and find a way out of this place." He groaned. "I can't wait to get out of here. Ryker's been treating me like dirt… and I hate his training exercises."

Astrid smiled, trying to comfort her friend. She stretched her right arm out of the cell, towards Hiccup. "Hey, we'll get out of this. We always do."

Hiccup nodded, grabbing her hand. It felt nice to hold onto someone he knew he could trust. A friend. An ally. Someone who understood what he was going through. "I hope so. I'll do as best as I can-"

"You always do."

"-and I'll try to lay low around Ryker." Hiccup sat down next to the cell, still holding Astrid's hand. "But for now, you and I can talk. I'm supposed to be making sure you don't escape, right? We have all the time in the world." He winced. "Well, at least until Ryker comes back."

Astrid nodded. "Yeah. It'll be nice to catch up-"

That's when Heather shrieked. "It burns...!" she yelled, scrambling to grip her poisoned arm. "Make it stop! Gods… _ow!"_

Alarmed, Astrid released her hand from Hiccup's grip, and tried to steady Heather. "What's happening?" Astrid demanded, finally getting Heather to stop thrashing about. "Why is she hurting so much? Hiccup…!"

Hiccup winced, shaking his head in worry. "Astrid, we're running out of time."

* * *

 **Ahhhhhh! CLIFFHANGER! You'll have to see what happens next in the upcoming CHAPTER 18! THE HORROR OF WAITING! ;) Will Heather survive? Can Hiccup get her the cure, as well as find the dragons? Will Ryker find out what Hiccup's up to? WILL I EVER MAKE IT UP TO YOU FOR NOT POSTING SOONER? :(**

 **And Happy Anniversary to me! This is my second week in FanFiction (though it seems like a lot longer, right?)! *streamers explode* Yay! 2 weeks! Whoop-whoop!**

* * *

 **Oh, and here's the song for this chapter!** _ **(to the tune of I've Got a Dream from Tangled)**_

 **(me)**

 _ **I leave cliffhangers, mean and scary**_

 _ **My plots could curdle dairy**_

 _ **And cliffhanger-wise, my writing is not the cleanest**_

 _ **But despite my evil writing**_

 _ **My cliffies, and characters dying**_

 _ **I've always yearned to be a gentle, nice writist**_

 _ **Can'tcha see me on FanFiction writing sweet stuff?**_

 _ **With my satisfying endings making readers beam**_

 _ **Yep, I'd rather be called a nice writer**_

 _ **For no longer leaving cliffhangers**_

 _ ***smiles, nodding* Thank you!**_

 _ **'Cause way down deep inside my stories**_

 _ **I've got a dream**_

 **(you guys)**

 _ **She's got a dream!**_

 _ **She's got a dream!**_

 **(me)**

 _ **See, my cliffhangers aren't as bad as they seem!**_

 _ **Though I do like writing Hiccup!whumps**_

 _ **But those are simply little bumps!**_

 _ **Like everybody else**_

 _ **I've got a dream!**_

 **Hehehe, I had to do that one. Hope you liked it!:D**

* * *

 **And, because I haven't been updating a lot lately, here's another song for you guys!**

 **(to the tune of The Magic School Bus theme song)**

 _ **Writin' stuff down FanFiction**_

 _ **You're relaxed, reviews good**_

 _ **Next thing that you know you're readin'**_

 _ **Angry guests in the neighborhood!**_

 _ **Writin' on about Hiccup!whumps**_

 _ **Flyin' through the stars**_

 _ **Take a left at the Sea of Misery**_

 _ **To get to Berk is very hard**_

 _ **On THE MAGIC FANFICTION BUS**_

 _ **Navigate Hiccup!whumps**_

 _ **Climb on THE MAGIC FANFICTION BUS**_

 _ **And Hiccstrid stuff**_

 _ **On our FanFiction site**_

 _ **Get all the reviews**_

 _ **On THE MAGIC FANFICTION BUS**_

 _ **Such a delightful thing to do!**_

 _ **So strap your fingers to the keyboard**_

 _ **Click on the doc and start to write —**_

 _ **Just to make your day full of gore**_

 _ **Guests look at you in angry spite**_

 _ **On THE MAGIC FANFICTION BUS...**_

 _ **Come on the web— read about characters that are dead!**_

 _ **Type on — ride on THE MAGIC FANFICTION BUS!**_

* * *

 **Yay! *claps wildly, but stops when no one joins in* No one has seen that show? Ever? Just me? *sighs* I knew it… STUPID PUBLIC SCHOOL HAS POISONED MY BRAIN! NO ONE LISTENS TO THAT SONG ANYMORE. Well, I hope you guys can forgive me for not updating as much as I usually do! :(**

 **I will post Chapter 18 AS SOON AS I CAN. I promise! Stupid bad headaches and school are getting in the way of everything. *scowls* DIE, PROBLEMS, DIE!**

 **Okay, I'll see ya guys next chapter!**

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	18. Chapter 18

**It's here, guys! CHAPTER 18! We've only got- including this chapter- 8 chapters left! I hope you've been enjoying it! :D Thank you all for the reviews, follows, and faves! And guys, DO YOU KNOW WHAT? HTTYH is at 7,700 views! I can't thank you guys enough for your support! *blinks back tears* Thank you! Thank you!**

 **Here's the song for this chapter! (Requested by** **Goldeneyedragon101** **)**

 _ **(to the tune of the song "Cut to the Feeling" from "Ballerina")**_

 _ **I had a idea for writing, or was it real?**_

 _ **I crossed the cliffhanger it was on**_

 _ **I won't stop my cliffies, give me all you got**_

 _ **I want to write all the cliffies, no matter the reviews**_

 _ **I want to write all the cliffies, no matter what you choose**_

 _ **And make you all say**_

 _ **You all say, you all say, you all say**_

 _ **Will purple update today?**_

 _ **Ah, I wanna write Hiccup!whumps, get the feeling**_

 _ **I wanna write Hiccstrid too, put them together, alone**_

 _ **I wanna write all the cliffies, oh yeah**_

 _ **I wanna write all the cliffies, oh yeah**_

 _ **I wanna write where the cliffhangers are shown**_

 _ **I wanna write a cliffhanger (Hiccup kidnapped over there)**_

 _ **I wanna be thepurplewriter (Hiccup!whumps everywhere)**_

 **Shoutouts:**

 **katurdi: Yeah, my puppies are okay now. :) Glad you liked the Hiccstrid! Really? I'm invited to your funeral? *touches heart* Wow, thanks!**

 **PKWolf014: Poor Heather:( Yes! I'm so happy you liked the chapter! I felt like I was rushing, but I'm glad you liked Dagur's reaction to Heather missing! Thank you!:D**

 **FanWriter02: YES! THANK YOU! Yep, HICCUP'S BACK!**

 **AvatarAngel0723: Yay! XD Happy you liked it! Hehe, Heather's fate will be revealed in later chapters… you'll see if Hiccup finds the dragons or not… I don't know! WILL Hiccup, Heather, and Astrid escape? *shrugs* You never know with me. You'll continue to get songs, don't worry!:D**

 **RusherGirl1: Hey, thanks! I hope you're enjoying it!**

 **Silentleap85: Aw, thank you!:D I'm glad to know that you like it so much! Yep, I AM an evil but good writer (I think).**

 **SailorMew4: Yeah, Hiccstrid trust rocks! Poison, though? BOO!**

 **Goldeneyedragon101: Hehe, that would be cool! Fishlegs is the Viking in Shining Furs XD. Don't worry, Heathlegs will get a kiss!:D Yep, the song is above! Thanks for requesting- I was so lost on what song to do next!**

 **HoodOtaku: *laughs* I'd love to see that… oh, funny story! My old guitar teacher's ringtone was Baymax from Big Hero 6 going, "Balalalalala.":D It make me crack up every time.**

 **flopy: Yep! Hicctooth will come!**

 **animalsarepeopletoo: Yeah, I'm back! :D Thanks for your concern! I'm glad you liked the chapter! I truly wondered if it was good at all… yeah, I love it when Dagur gets protective of Heather. They BETTER have that in Season 5 of RTTE!**

 **isosceres3: Aw, thank you! I'll be updating as fast as I can!**

 **phieillydinyia: Well, you have to remember that Hiccup doesn't have all his memories back. He doesn't know all the things that they've shared in the past. He only knows a few of them.**

 **rubberbandgal: I'm very happy you like it! Yes, YOU DO like spamming letters:D. Yep, school has poisoned our innocent minds! We don't need school! Math means: Mental Abuse To Humans! THOSE CHEESY SONGS ARE THE WORST! You can use the link to HTTYH if you want to.**

 **Astrid E Lokison: Heh, I'm glad I'm not the only one XD. Heather will _, so yeah! Spoilers! I'll be updating as fast as my schedule allows me:)**

 **endoplasmic: Yep! I'm thoroughly enjoying them!**

 **Alrighty, then! Thank you all for your reviews! I can't believe that HTTYH has come so far! Thank you, guys. It really means a lot! :D I just can't believe that HTTYH has grown so much in 2 weeks!**

 **Okay…. CHAPTER 18, HERE WE GO! (now that I'm done ranting)**

* * *

 _I have to find the dragons first,_ Hiccup thought, running up the prison stairway. _Once I steal the antidote for Heather, Ryker will know I'm a traitor to him. If I get the dragons first, then we can all make an easy escape._ He winced. Maybe not an _easy_ escape, but it would be easier than escaping from one of Ryker's prison cells if he found out first.

After Heather's condition declined rapidly, Astrid had told Hiccup to go right away to find the dragons. "There's no time to waste," Astrid had ordered. "Every moment we wait, it'll just be getting more painful. You need to go."

And so Hiccup had gone.

"Now, where would Ryker put the dragons?" Hiccup murmured, getting closer to the top of the stairway. "When he gets dragons, he usually kills them. He doesn't put them in cells..."

A chill was sent down Hiccup's spine. _No, they're not dead yet,_ Hiccup decided. _Toothless can't be dead… I can feel that he's alive. He must be somewhere around here._

Hiccup reached the top of the stairway, panting. Should he do it? Should he really continue with his plan? If he got caught on his way to the dragons, well… Ryker wasn't a forgiving man…

But Heather was getting worse. If he didn't save her now, he would never forgive himself. With a shaky breath, Hiccup ran out the doorway and into the stone hall.

Thankfully, the area was empty, and Hiccup walked by without attracting any attention. His footsteps grew faster as his thoughts turned frantic, and he felt more determined to find Toothless and Windhsear. Already, a plan formed in his mind: search where every door led until he found one that went into another prison, one which could hold the dragons inside. Hiccup nodded. Yes, he would do that.

He wouldn't be too late this time.

Hiccup swallowed, looking around. _Where is it, where is it…?_

He had a feeling he'd be searching for awhile.

For the next half hour- far too long for Hiccup's taste-, the boy looked around for the right door. He tried many without luck, until he finally stumbled upon one that looked promising. It was unguarded, but it obviously held something important inside by how solid the door was made.

Hiccup tried the knob.

It opened.

He released a sigh of relief. Maybe things wouldn't be too bad after all. Without sparing the topic another thought, Hiccup swung open the door and found a trail of stairs leading downwards.

Hiccup was about to start walking down, when he heard a desperate cry from below- a _dragon's_ cry. And only one dragon's cry sounded like that: a Night Fury's.

"Toothless!" Hiccup yelled, racing down the stairs. "I'm coming, bud! Don't worry, I'll get you out!" He ran down the stairs with much haste until he reached the bottom, heaving with rapid breaths. "I'm… here… now," he panted.

It was difficult to see in the dim light, but he could make out a cell before him, which held two dark figures in the corner. Hiccup narrowed his eyes. "Are you in there, Toothless? Is Windshear with you?"

He was answered with a low grumble, one which only Toothless could have made.

Hiccup broke into a smile, running over to the cell. "You're there, bud! I finally found you…" He squinted, and saw Toothless's anxious face looking back at him. Hiccup tugged on the cell door, hoping to open it, but he was met with no avail. Hiccup sighed. "Now, just how are we going to get you out of there?"

Windshear raised her tail, and Hiccup saw that it was covered with some type of device that prevented any of the sharp scales from slicing through. Toothless grunted, showing off his muzzle as well. Neither of the dragons were able to use their greatest weapons to break out…

Yet.

"Toothless, come here, bud," Hiccup said, getting an idea.

Toothless paced over to where Hiccup stood, looking both worried and relieved to see his rider there. _They were together again,_ Toothless realized, and he released a happy whine. Perhaps being captured by Ryker hadn't been as bad as it first seemed.

Hiccup grabbed Toothless snout, having to stretch his hands inside the cell, and fiddled around with the straps of the dragon's muzzle until he pulled it free.

Yelling with delight, Hiccup threw the muzzle to the side. "Now you can blast yourself out of there, Toothless- along with Windshear, of course." He looked over at the Razorwhip in concern. "Heather's not doing too well. She'll need you to have a full recovery."

Windshear snorted, alarmed.

"It's okay, you'll be out of there soon," Hiccup assured the dragon, glancing back at Toothless. "Alright, bud. Plasma blast!"

Toothless didn't have to be told twice. He roared, and with all his might, shot out a purple plasma blast that exploded the cage's doors. Hiccup stumbled back, coughing from the smoke. "Nice work. Okay, let's go."

He narrowed his eyes, waving the dragons out of their captivity device.

"Next stop- Heather's antidote."

* * *

Astrid looked down at Heather.

The Berserker wasn't doing well- not well at all. Her skin was far too pale against her black hair, and she was burning up all over.

"She's not going to last much longer," Astrid murmured, patting her friend's hand. "Not unless Hiccup gets that antidote…"

 _He will, Astrid,_ a voice inside her said. _He never lets you down. It's Hiccup._

Astrid sighed. If only that could be true for every situation…

"Dagur," Heather gasped, her hands searching for her brother in the air. "Dagur… where's Dagur? I need…" She grimaced. "I need to tell him something…"

"Shh, shh," Astrid whispered, placing Heather's hands on the ground. "Dagur will be here soon, don't worry. And Hiccup's going to be back with your antidote, so you won't feel anymore pain. Just hang on a little longer. You'll get through it."

Heather's expression relaxed. "Dagur… he'll be here soon…?"

"Yes, he will. You just have to wait for a bit longer. Just until Hiccup comes back with something that'll take your pain away."

"Alright," Heather grunted, slowly falling back into unconsciousness. "Something that will take the pain away… that sounds nice…" She shifted her head on the ground. "I'll… keep fighting… I'm trying, Astrid…"

"I know," Astrid agreed. "You're doing your best, Heather."

Heather nodded. "I'm going to… go to sleep now…" With that, her countenance morphed into a peaceful one, and her breathing returned to normal, even if it was a little ragged.

Astrid sighed, shaking her head. _She's fading, fast…_

 _Hiccup, you better get that antidote soon, or Heather's not going to make it._

* * *

Toothless was beyond excited to see Hiccup again. Finally, after days of being apart- though it felt like years- the two were reunited.

Hiccup, although, wasn't as elated as the dragon was. Sure, he was glad to see Toothless again, but he still didn't have all his memories back, and didn't know just how deep their bond was.

It had only taken a few minutes before Hiccup found Heather's antidote in a storage room. It turned out, more than one Dragon Hunter had been unlucky enough to poison himself (accidentally, of course) with their weapons, so they had to keep the antidote, quanan berry juice, close by in case of an emergency.

Now the dragons and Hiccup were sneaking through the halls, on their way back to the cells to give Heather the medicine. But, no one said it was going to be easy. If Hiccup was caught with a Night Fury and a Razorwhip, along with a vial of quanan berry juice in his pocket, anyone could see what he was up to.

And Toothless certainly wasn't helping anything. He refused to leave Hiccup's side, and at one point wanted to carry his rider through the halls so they'd be faster getting to Heather and Astrid. Hiccup had said, "No, bud, running will make too much noise." Toothless hadn't been happy.

So, the Night Fury walked close to Hiccup's legs, occasionally nudging the boy in a show of support and affection. It was a great relief to Hiccup and the dragons when they reached the door to the prison cells, and Hiccup shoved the door open, worried that they'd be found out at any moment.

"Hurry, hurry," he said, directing the dragons through the door.

Toothless and Windshear didn't hesitate, and they darted past Hiccup to downstairs.

Hiccup ran faster than he ever had in his life to get to the bottom of the stairs. The panicked beliefs that Ryker would catch him if he didn't move fast enough forced him to run even faster, until the threat of tripping and falling became too great.

Astrid looked up in surprise as the dragons and Hiccup appeared. She hadn't expected them back so soon, but she welcomed them nonetheless. "You're here!" she exclaimed, her eyes filling with relief. "Do you have the antidote with you?"

Hiccup nodded, sprinting over. "Yes." He dug the bottle out of his pocket and handed it to Astrid. "How's Heather doing?" At Astrid's painful expression, Hiccup winced. "That bad?"

"See for yourself," Astrid sighed.

Hiccup looked down at Heather, and he held in a gasp. The girl was shivering- no _shaking_ was more like it. He could almost feel the heat from her fever in the air, and the black streaks going down her arm were spread out even more than before.

"Okay, Heather," whispered Astrid, uncorking the vial of medicine. "This might taste bad, but it's the only chance you've got… here." She lifted the other girl's head, and forced the drink down her throat.

Heather swallowed, and gagged. "Tastes… awful."

Nodding, Hiccup crossed his arms. "It should. Quanan berries aren't known for a pleasant taste." He cocked his head. "The medicine should spread through your body within the next half an hour, and it'll deplete the poison until you're cured."

"Thank you, Hiccup," Heather smiled, her eyes fluttering open to see the boy. "Thank you… I know how r-risky it was to do t-that…"

"You better get some rest," Astrid chided, and set Heather back onto the ground. "Being poisoned really takes it out of you, doesn't it? And when you wake, Hiccup and I will be right here for you. No one's leaving."

"Mmmm," Heather slurred. Her eyelids drooped, and she fell asleep once more. But this time, it was a healing sleep. She was looking better already, and if Astrid had felt Heather's forehead, she would have noticed that the fever had dropped a little bit.

Astrid turned her head to Hiccup, smiling with gratitude. "You did it, Hiccup. You saved Heather's life, and-"

Then her eyes widened in horror as she noticed something behind Hiccup…

Or rather, _someone._

"I see your alliances have changed, _Hiccup,"_ Ryker growled from the corner, stepping up into the light. "And I don't like it when people don't settle on a decision."

Toothless roared. He was prepared to leap at the man, when suddenly Ryker threw a feathered dart which sunk into his neck. For a moment, Toothless swayed with unsteadiness on his feet, and then he collapsed. The same thing happened with Windshear, and that left Ryker alone with Hiccup and Astrid.

"Hiccup… oh, gods," Astrid muttered. "Run.. run!"

Ryker had found out that Hiccup was no longer a traitor.

Hiccup was exposed.

They were in deep trouble.

"I prepared for this day, Hiccup," Ryker sneered, and he glared over at the boy. "I knew that eventually, you'd break. And I've awaited for that time with glee. Now that you've reached that point…"

He cracked his knuckles, sending a wave of fear through Hiccup.

"You're not going to like what's coming for you. Not at all."

* * *

 **WHAT THE-**

 **CLIFFHANGER AGAIN? WILL I EVER STOP? AHHH, will Ryker kill Hiccup now that he knows the secret? Will Dagur get to the base in time? Is Heather really healed? Can Astrid stop Ryker from hurting Hiccup? WHEN WILL THE NEXT UPDATE BE?**

 **Okay, guys, I'm so sorry this was short, and probably with a bunch of grammar mistakes. I Had another headache and it was hard to edit/make it longer. *sniffles sadly* Next chapter will be bigger, I promise. AND HICCTOOTH/HICCSTRID STUFF IS COMING IN CHAPTERS 20 AND 21. ONLY A LITTLE LONGER, GUYS.**

 **Okay, here's another song (to the tune of The Sound of Silence) and then I gotta skedaddle up to bed- EVEN though I'm not tired! *falls asleep on keyboard, snoring***

 _ **Hello, cliffhangers, my old friends**_

 _ **I've come to write you out again**_

 _ **Because a fic softly creeping**_

 _ **Left its reviews while I was sleeping**_

 _ **And the writing that was planted on the doc**_

 _ **Reviewers say, "Purple, stop"**_

 _ **Within the update of the next cliffhanger**_

 _ **In restless reviews I read alone**_

 _ **Long chapters of the Hiccup!whump zone**_

 _ **'Neath the email box of new faves**_

 _ **I smiled as I got more new faves**_

 _ **When my writing was stabbed by the reviews of a rude reviewer**_

 _ **Who didn't like the cliffhanger**_

 _ **Left by the one and only purple writer**_

 **Alrighty, then!**

 **PURPLE IS OUT! See you guys next chapter! *waves while riding by on The Magic FanFiction Bus***

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	19. Chapter 19

**WOOOOOOAAAAAHH! GUYS! NEXT CHAPTER WE'LL BE AT 20 CHAPTERS! *happy dance***

 **I'm SO SO sorry for not updating these past few days… you see, school is ending so I have way too many tests on my hands, plus my mom's birthday was yesterday AND THEN I HAD TO GO TO A FOUR HOUR DOCTOR APPOINTMENT, and then go out to dinner… *drones on for a while* So, I'm really sorry. I probably won't be updating a lot in the next two weeks, either, what with school piling up for the end of the year. Just letting you all know. But I WILL update this AS MUCH AS I CAN.**

 **Okay, Shoutouts first and then we'll get to the story!**

 **Shoutouts:**

 **katurdi: Yes, ANOTHER CLIFFHANGER!:0 Huh, to be honest I really didn't think the cliffhanger was that bad! Hehe, Mount Everest cliffhanger… I'll have to remember that:D**

 **FanWriter02: Nah, your limericks are fine! Glad you liked the cliffhangers! I try to keep it suspenseful…:D Yep, 7 chapters to go! *wipes tear* It's passed so quickly...**

 **animalsarepeopletoo: So happy you liked the songs! Yep, Heather is healed! Or is she? You never know with me!XD Yay! One of your top favorite stories? *blushes* No, YOU'RE one of my favorite authors!:D**

 **SailorMew4: I left a cliffhanger 'cause I was bored and I'm evil. What did you expect?;) Yep, everyone's okay...ish.**

 **Antox: Yep! Cliffies are my signature move!:D Yeah, Astrid, DO SOMETHING!**

 **Goldeneyedragon101: Yeah, I hope you liked the song!:D I had fun writing it! Hehe, I'm so glad you liked all the moments! Mmhmm! RYKER GET OUT RIGHT NOW BEFORE I KILL YOU IN THE MOST PAINFUL WAY EVERY! *coughs slightly* And clearly my readers did not need to read that… hehe… *chuckles, nervous***

 **Dragxn Defender: *growls back just as agressively***

 **Avatar Angel 0723: You'll see whether Ryker lives or not:)Yeah, what does Ryker have in store for Hiccup? Something bad, I'll tell ya that... Wahaha, Heather is healed- for now. Astrid BETTER do something, or Hiccup's gonna be in some serious trouble. YOU WILL GET HICCSTRID AND HICCTOOTH MOMENTS IN CHAPTERS 20-21, I PROMISE! Yay! Glad you liked the songs!:D Aw, I'm sorry for whatever sad happened to you. It's okay if you don't want to share what it is. *pats you on shoulder, smiling tearfully***

 **Clover and Darkness/rubberbandgirl: Aw, thanks for inviting me to your funeral! It means a lot, being as I'm the one who killed you!:D**

 **endoplasmic: Of course! I hope you like the story:D! And yes, that's the truth! Good stories seem too short if you like them!**

 **Astrid E Lokison: Thanks! I'm glad you liked the chapter!**

 **dabzzygirl: Haha, yes, you better!;D Sorry for the cliffie!**

 **Smoe05: Yep, the stakes have definitely risen! The showdown is soon coming… *cackles* Aw, thanks! I'm glad you like the story and agree that those rude guests CAN be rude! Yes, I do have my grammar mistakes! I'm happy you are enjoying the story and thinking that it makes sense:D!**

 **Okay, my rambling is done! Chapter 19 is here!**

* * *

"What are you planning to do to me?" Hiccup asked fearfully, taking a step back. He knew what Ryker was capable of, and wasn't eager to test his limits.

Ryker grinned. "Oh, something you're not going to like, Hiccup."

"Hiccup, run!" Astrid gasped, clutching the bars of the prison cell. "Go! You have to get out of here! Now!"

"I can't just leave you behind!" Hiccup exasperated, keeping his eye on Ryker. "If I do, you'd be killed!"

Astrid shook her head. She was desperate to save Hiccup, and didn't want anything to happen to him when she could have intervened. "I don't care what happens to me… I only want you to be safe!"

"Well, isn't that sweet," mocked Ryker, glaring over at Hiccup. "The girl says she'll die for you, Hiccup. What do you say? If you run, I'll let you live, but I'll kill her instead. Sounds like a fair deal to me."

"Never," Hiccup growled. " _Never again_ will I betray my friends. _Never!"_ With that, Hiccup lunged at Ryker, going for the Hunter's one known weak spot: his broken leg. Hiccup slammed into Ryker's leg brace, and the man let out a painful yell.

Hiccup stood up from the ground, his legs covered with the floor's dust. He raced over to Toothless, and started to shake the unconscious dragon. "Come on, Toothless! Wake up! We have to fight back and get out of here!" Toothless didn't respond, and the boy filled with fear.

Hiccup cowered back into the corner, looking up; Ryker had regained his balance.

The lead Dragon Hunter was fuming with anger. His cheeks were flared red, and his face was twisted into a horrible scowl. Just _looking_ at Ryker sent a chill through Hiccup.

 _I'm going to die,_ he realized. _I can't fight back… but I have to try._

"Hiccup, don't," Astrid warned, sensing what Hiccup was planning on. "You won't win. Please...take Ryker's deal and leave me instead!"

"It's too late for that," Hiccup whispered. "I've angered him too much."

Ryker took a step closer to Hiccup, his eyes burning with rage. "You're going to pay for that, Hiccup."

Hiccup bit his lip and muttered, "Only if you don't pay first…" Leaping towards Ryker, he landed a punch on the man's shoulder. Unfortunately, Ryker was wearing his steel armor at the moment, and it only succeeded in Hiccup's fist entitled a sure bruise the next day. And even if Ryker _hadn't_ been wearing the armor, he was already a strong man, and it wouldn't have made a difference.

Ryker laughed, and grabbed Hiccup by his arm. "So pathetic." He squeezed down tightly, and the boy winced, trying not to cry out.

"Hiccup…," Astrid breathed. "No! Don't hurt him!"

Ryker darkened. "That's not up to you, Astrid." He raised his other fist, and slammed it down on Hiccup's head. Hiccup fell unconscious a moment later, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. He would have fallen to the floor if Ryker hadn't caught him in time. Without a word, the Dragon Hunter slung Hiccup's limp form over his shoulder, and started towards the stairs, laughing cruelly.

"No! Hiccup!" Astrid screamed as the boy was taken out of her sight. " _Hiccup!"_

* * *

Stoick gazed off into the sea's choppy morning waters, his brow furrowed with concern.

He hadn't seen Hiccup for days… in fact, he had lost count of how much time had passed since he had a regular conversation with his son. Probably before he had lost his memory and thought Stoick hated him. Before he was taken away by Ryker. Before he had chosen to betray all of Berk and the Riders.

Stoick swallowed, uneased. _I'm sure Hiccup didn't mean it,_ he told himself. _We've all changed from the time Hiccup remembers. Berk's changed. His friends have changed._ I've _changed._ But still, the nagging thought that Hiccup had meant his betrayal still loomed in his fears.

Anger filled the chieftain as he thought about the man who hit Hiccup in the head with the warhammer. "I could have stopped him in time," Stoick muttered, screening the horizon for any sight of Ryker's base coming up ahead. Nothing appeared. "I could have saved him from all of this… if only I had been a few seconds ahead of that man…"

"Blaming yourself won't do you any good, Stoick."

Stoick froze, and turned around. He relaxed when he saw that it was just Dagur, and cleared his throat. "Dagur. What brings you out here?" the chief asked, gesturing to the abandoned deck. "Shouldn't you be preparing your men?"

Dagur tilted his head. "My warriors are ready for the coming battle." He paused. "The question is, are you?"

Sighing, Stoick crossed his arms. "That's what this is all about? You not thinking I'm ready?" His hand hovered over his hilt sword, but he forced himself to remain calm. Dagur had changed from that past man he had been… _mostly_. "I'm more than ready to bring Hiccup home."

The Berserker chuckled, if a bit maniacally. "Revenge might seem inviting at first, but it's not."

"What," Stoick hissed, "are you talking about?" Of course, he knew exactly what Dagur was talking about, but didn't want to admit it. Ever since Ryker had placed his grimy hands on his boy, Stoick had vowed that he'd kill him. He'd get his revenge, no matter what.

Dagur rubbed his left eye. "Believe me, revenge is not what you're looking for," he advised, coming over to Stoick's side. The two men turned to look at the sea. Dawn had now arrived, and it lit up the waters with fiery ribbons of color. "Though I _would_ like to twist Ryker's neck once and awhile… just for a moment…" Dagur demonstrated by making strangling motions in the air. "No one messes with my sister. _No one_ poisons her, and then kidnaps her too."

Stoick raised his brow. "So, revenge works for you?"

Dagur sighed, his arms falling to his sides. "Well, I wouldn't kill him."

Disbelief filled Stoick. "What?"

"I wouldn't kill him. I wouldn't kill Ryker. The old me certainly would, but now that Heather's in danger, I…" Dagur trailed off. "I'm above killing, Stoick. And I hope that you are too. Think about it: what would Hiccup say if you killed Ryker? How would he feel? How would _you_ feel?"

Stoick straightened. It was true. If he stooped down to actually _killing_ Ryker, once Hiccup got his memories back, he'd never look at his father the same way. Stoick couldn't bear to have Hiccup behave around him like that… "You do have a point," Stoick admitted, and his fists clenched. "But a little punching here and that can't be too much harm."

Dagur grinned. "Ooh, how I'd love to join you on that… feel the bones crunching beneath my hands..." He chuckled. " _If_ I was my old self."

"Yes," Stoick agreed, "if you still were."

And the two men continued staring off at the horizon, searching for their last pieces of hope, the people who had made them who they were today, their closest companions.

They both silently vowed that nothing would stand in their way of getting them back.

* * *

"No!" Astrid shrieked, shaking the bars of her cell. Panic gripped her heart and wouldn't let go. She hadn't been this afraid since... since forever. "Hiccup!" After a moment, she realized that the steel bars weren't about to loosen up, and she sat back in defeat. Her hands trembled in her lap. "Hiccup…"

 _Thirty minutes._ Thirty minutes since Hiccup had been dragged off by Ryker and knocked unconscious. Only Thor knew what the boy was suffering through right now. And Astrid... Astrid didn't even know if he was still alive…

The dragons remained fast asleep on the ground in front of her, feathered darts sticking out from their necks. Astrid winced in sympathy for them, though her main concern was still for her human friend.

Suddenly, a cough came from behind her. "A-Astrid?"

Astrid swerved around, and her eyes widened when she saw who it was. "Heather!" A little relief replaced her fret. "You're awake!"

The Berserker sat up from the floor, rubbing the back of her head. Though she had pain, it felt much better than before. Because before was _awful_ , and even if right now wasn't perfect, it still felt heavenly for most of her discomfort to be gone. The poison was fading, after all. "What… what happened?" Heather looked around, and almost seemed to deflate a bit. "Oh. We're still in here, are we? I thought Hiccup would have cooked up one of his master schemes by now."

Astrid stiffened, her heart thudding in her chest. She had hoped that somehow, Heather would know... so she wouldn't have to tell... so she wouldn't have to tell Heather what had happened...

Heather cocked her head. Her mind was still a little fuzzy, and needed a moment to catch on. "Astrid? You okay?" She paused, and realized her words. "Oh, gods… where is Hiccup?" Unease filled her. "Oh, no. Did something happen while I was asleep?"

Not wanting to worry Heather, Astrid shook her head. "No, no... everything's fine… nothing... nothing to worry about..."

 _If only that were true._

"Astrid. I know when you're lying," Heather said, blinking the rest of sleep from her eyes. "Your face always gives it away, no matter how hard you try to hide it. Did... did something happen to Hiccup? Did Ryker come back?"

Astrid sighed. She couldn't very well keep it a secret for much longer. Heather wasn't known to give up. "Yes… Ryker, he-" Astrid stopped herself, trying to regain a calm composure. "He found out about Hiccup's betrayal, and... and took him away."

Heather's eyes widened with alarm. "What?" she gasped. "When was this? How long has Hiccup been gone for?"

The Rider looked down, and Heather knew that something was very wrong.

"...Astrid?"

"I... he..." She sighed in misery. "About a half an hour."

Heather looked over at the exit of the cell, and she sucked in a breath when she saw the dragons. "Windshear!" she called. "Windshear, wake up!"

"Don't bother," Astrid muttered, slumping against the wall. She had no energy left. "Ryker hit them both with sleeping darts. They're out cold… and probably will be for another few hours. I've tried getting out of the cell, but…" She shook her head, rubbing her temples. "It's no use. I can't do anything- I'm useless. Hiccup has been taken Thor knows where, and Ryker- he's doing terrible things to him, and I'm just sitting here doing nothing while-"

"Hey, it's alright," Heather comforted scooting over to her friend. "I'm sure that Hiccup has slipped out of Ryker's grip before he was hurt. That's what he does. And he always comes back to you, right? No matter what. So don't give up."

"I'm not giving up," said Astrid in protest. "I'm just-"

She was interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. Astrid froze. Could it be Ryker already? Was he bringing Hiccup back? Or was he bringing… _news?_ News about Hiccup... good news... bad news... probably bad, oh, Thor...

The footsteps grew closer and closer, louder and louder, and both of the girls were too agitated to speak. Finally, the owner of the footsteps came to the end of the stairway, and paused for a moment before coming into the dim light provided by the torches. Astrid let out a silent breath.

It wasn't Ryker. It was only a guard.

Astrid clenched the bars of the prison cell. "What do _you_ want?" she spat, her regular fury seething out into her words. Oh, boy, she was _mad_. No, even that wasn't the right word for it. She was _furious_. She was livid. She was _boiling_. Because no one- _no one_ \- hurt her friends. And if they did... well, let's just say they would regret ever being born. "Did Ryker send you? Are you coming to kill us off, too?"

Half of the Dragon Hunter's face was covered in a mask, but Astrid could feel he was scowling. "No," the man snapped, swaggering over with obvious false confidence. "I'm here to put the dragons in your cell. Ryker doesn't want them waking up and secretly escaping."

Astrid's eyes widened. "You've spoken to Ryker? Has he finished what he's doing to Hiccup? What did he do to my friend? You better tell me!"

The guard laughed, reaching where the dragons laid. "You'll find out soon enough, girl. For now, though, you'll have to wait and see." He grabbed Toothless's limp head, and started to drag the dragon towards the cell. Unfortunately, the man was met with no avail, and his eyes narrowed in frustration. "Cursed dragon…"

Astrid couldn't help but smirk. "You know, if you let me out of here, I could help you move him. I promise I won't run." She could almost feel Heather's astonished look boring into the back of her head.

"Only a fool would take up an offer like that," the Hunter scoffed. "Any other prisoner would run from their captivity, given a chance. What makes you any different?"

Sighing, Astrid's armored shoulders drooped. "My best friend," _more than a best friend,_ "has been taken by Ryker, and I know that whatever he's going through isn't good. No, I wouldn't escape without him… without Hiccup. Not when there's a chance of escaping together."

The guard let out a growl. "Fine," he agreed, his tone icy. "But I swear, if you even make a move to escape, I will run you through myself."

 _You don't have to worry about that,_ Astrid thought as she stood up from her seat on the floor. _I'm not leaving Hiccup ever again._

The Dragon Hunter walked over to her cell, leaving the dragons behind him, and took out his keys. Astrid watched as he unlocked the door, swinging it open. Astrid breezed by him, strangely calm in such a stressful situation, and stopped when she reached the dragons on the floor. When the guard didn't come over too, Astrid put a hand on her hip. "Well, are you going to help or just stand there?"

The guard mumbled something unintelligible to her ears, and stomped over. He grabbed Toothless's chest while Astrid picked up the dragon's side. "You ready?" she asked, blowing a tuft of blonde hair out of her eyes.

Grunting in reply, the Dragon Hunter started to drag Toothless along to the prison cell. Astrid used every inch of her strength to get the dragon to budge as well, but she still found it difficult to accomplish what she was aiming for. When the two finally placed Toothless in the cell, they were both covered in sweat.

"Why doesn't… she help us out?" the guard panted, pointing to Heather.

Astrid glared over at him. "She was just poisoned, nearly died, and has barely had enough time to heal up from all of that. Do you really think she's in the shape to move an entire dragon?" At the Hunter's annoyed look, she rolled her eyes. "That's what I thought."

Next, they moved onto the next dragon: Windshear. Moving the Razorwhip was a lot harder, as the dragon was huge. Heather offered to help out a few times, worried about how Windshear was doing, but Astrid waved her off. "You shouldn't be exerting yourself anymore than you have to," she chided, struggling to push the Razorwhip along on the floor. "If you do, you'll get worse. We don't want that, now do we?"

Once they were done, the guard barely had enough energy to lock Astrid back up. The girl considered making a break for it to see if she could find Hiccup, but she knew it would be all for naught. Based on the size of the building, it would be days before she would pick up a trace of where the boy was being kept. By then, Astrid and Heather would've been sighted and caught by Dragon Hunters, making the chance of escaping again even harder than before.

"Don't think I'll take you up on an offer like this again," the Dragon Hunter warned as he locked Astrid back up. "And don't tell Ryker, either."

"I won't tell him about this if you tell me where Hiccup is," Astrid joked. "Deal?"

The guard glared at her. "I don't think that's an appropriate thing to say, seeing as you're the one locked up."

Astrid crossed her arms, irritated. "Well, _someone_ takes everything a little too seriously." She was about to make another side comment, when the sound of a door opening came from above. She paled. Was it Hiccup?

She swallowed. _Oh, gods,_ Hiccup… _please still be alive… I need you._

The guard nearby straightened, and he backed away from the cell. It was clear that he was terrified of who was coming downstairs, and that gave Astrid all the proof she needed: Ryker was coming. There was no chance of it being anyone else. And he was coming with or without Hiccup.

A pained moan rang out from the stairway, echoing into Astrid's ears. She shivered. _Hiccup…_

Minutes later, after a few sounds of shuffling and groans, the owner of the footsteps appeared, and Astrid saw…

Ryker, with Hiccup slung over his huge shoulder.

Astrid gasped when she saw the state Hiccup was in. His back was matted with thick blood, and he was shaking all over.

"Sorry to take so long _,"_ Ryker sneered, walking over to the cell. "Hiccup and I had a little catching up to do."

"You monster!" Astrid yelled, her eyes only able to focus on Hiccup. "What did you do to him? _What did you do to Hiccup?"_

Ryker laughed, shifting the unconscious Hiccup on his shoulder. "Well, Hiccup should be the one to tell you… that is, if he wakes up." He nodded over to the guard standing stiffly near the cell. "You, there! Open the door. We should let our guests _stay together_."

Astrid wanted to make a comeback at Ryker's tone, but she didn't want to risk Hiccup being put in another cell. Every time she looked at all that blood on his back… she trembled all over. Hiccup needed to be with her more than anything right now.

The guard obeyed Ryker's command, and unlocked the cell's door. Ryker plucked Hiccup off his shoulder and threw him to the dirty floor. He grinned, stepping back as the Dragon Hunter locked the cell back up. "Enjoy your time together," Ryker smirked. "It's not going to be long before you really know what I can _really_ do." He turned away, waving the guard to follow him. The two men shuffled up the stairs, leaving Astrid, Hiccup, and Heather abandoned in their cell.

Astrid bent over Hiccup, too frightened to touch the bloodied boy. "Hiccup?" she asked. "Hiccup, are you awake? Please answer..."

Hiccup groaned. "Ast...trid?" he mumbled.

"Yes, Hiccup, I'm right here," Astrid said, kneeling on the floor beside him. She grimaced at what she knew she had to do next. "Okay, I'm going to have to roll you on your stomach so I can see your back's wounds, and then you can tell me what happened."

Hiccup moaned, but didn't reply.

Heather examined him in concern. "Astrid, he's not looking well at all," she said, shaking her head. "He's lost a lot of blood, and I can tell the lacerations run deep… who knows what Ryker did to him?"

Astrid was shaking all over, terrified at the thought of losing Hiccup. _No, I have to remain strong,_ she told herself. _I am Astrid Hofferson, the fearless Viking warrior. My emotions can't get in the way of my job._ She sat next to Hiccup, trying to think of what to do next.

She had let Hiccup get hurt- again. First, she had let him get hit in the head with a warhammer, and now this. In fact, she didn't even know what "this" was. Hiccup was too unconscious to tell her what happened with Ryker, and that wasn't a good sign at all.

"You just have to hang on for a little while longer, Hiccup," Astrid whispered, stroking the boy's tangled hair. "Your father will be here soon, along with Dagur and his army…. you'll be alright then." She bit her lip, tears forming in her eyes. "Just hang on… I need you, Hiccup. I need you."

But an answer came not.

* * *

 **NO. NO. NO! THE CLIFFIES ARE BACK! AND POOR POOR HICCUP. He's always getting hurt… I never give him a break! :/ We'll have to see his fate next chapter, WHICH WILL BE UP SOON, I PROMISE.**

 **Will Hiccup survive? Can Astrid somehow manage to help him get by? When will the next song be? When will I stop hurting Hiccup?!**

 **I ALSO HAVE NEWS: Hiccstrid kiss is coming next chapter! The thing you've all been waiting for! WHOOP-WHOOP!**

 **Anyways, many apologies for leaving you off on this cliffie. I know it's hard, but you'll get by. You always do! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA.** **I hope you guys liked the chapter! *sniffs* *whispers "POOR HICCUP!"***

 **See you soon!**

 ***grabs Toothless and shakes him***

 **WAKE UP YOU USELESS REPTILE! HICCUP NEEDS YOU!**

 ***drags him off the page***

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello, my dearest readers! So, I haven't updated for… what… A WEEK? *faints in shock* I'm so sorry! The end of the school year has come up, and I've been piled up in REALLY hard exams that I have to study a lot for… in fact, all of today (Saturday, of all days) I've just been doing school! But I'm still so sorry for leaving you all for so long! :( Anyways, thank you so much for reading, reviewing, following, and faving guys! It means A LOT!:D**

 **And here's the song! (to the tune of Do You Want To Build a Snowman?)** _ **(hey! It was going to happen! Just be happy it isn't Let it Go! *evil grin slowly appears*)**_

 **(readers)**

*leaving a review on the story* _**Purple,**_

 _ **Are you gonna leave a cliffhanger?**_

 _ **Come on tell us what happens next**_

 _ **You don't update anymore**_

 _ **Barely a chapter for**_

 _ **HTTYH any day!**_

 _ **You used to update frequently**_

 _ **But now you don't**_

 _ **I wish you would tell us why!**_

 _ **Are you gonna tell us what happens next?**_

 _ **It doesn't have to be a Hiccstrid kiss**_

 **(me)**

 _ **You have to wait and see. *cackles***_

 **(readers)**

 _ **You're evil, why?**_

 **Shoutouts:**

 **katurdi: I HURT HICCUP BECAUSE I WANTED TO, GET USED TO IT! Hiccup!whump is my "thang". And cliffies. Yep, I'm Queen Cliffie of Hiccup!whumps. Yep, you sensed correctly! HICCSTRID KISS! *screams in excitement* *clears throat***

 **FanWriter02: *silence breaks when I cackle* Yep, Queen Cliffie is me! Yeah, TOOTHLESS WAKE UP OR I'LL CHEER WHEN YOU GO AWAY IN THE 3RD MOVIE!... not. *sobs* Well, I made the chapter long since I haven't updated in a bit. This one will be shorter, though, 'cause I'm at lost for inspiration. Oh! I read "Wolves" last night! It was awesome!**

 **Goldeneyeddragon101: Yep, Hiccup needs to wakey wakey and Astrid needs to kissy kissy! *shrugs* I just made that up. Oh, mental breakdowns are fine here! They're WELCOME, actually! *cackles* And yeah, you used the "whump Hiccup" right. There's never a way you could use it wrong! I just love whumping Hiccup! Heathlegs kiss is Chapter 25.. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!**

 **animalsarepeopletoo: Aw, thanks! I'm so happy you liked it! Wahaha, you'll see what exactly happened to Hiccup this chapter… as for their plan for escaping: who says they have one? The kiss is coming, never fear! And so is the whump! *cackles***

 **endoplasmic: Well, think about it. Ryker is a dragon hunter- he's going to have pretty big cells. Haha, that'd be funny! Not for Hiccup, though… *winks***

 **HiccupZain: Yep! QUITE the bloody cliffhanger! Hehe, the reason why Hiccup is so injured will soon be revealed! Ha, yeah I'M the monster. Ryker doesn't come close to me! YES I LOVE HICCUP!WHUMP TOO! IT'S AMAZING! Aaaand you'll see what kind of cliff/hill hanger this'll be!**

 **Clover And Darkness: *I fight your ghost off* STAND BACK! I'M GONNA CALL THE GHOSTBUSTERS IF YOU DON'T! OR THE GUESTBUSTERS! (don't ask) Oooh, I killed you? MY LIFE'S GOAL IS COMPLETE!**

 **Smoe05: Yes, indeed, Ryker has upped his game (FINALLY). Yes, I felt that Stoick and Dagur were similar in their situations, so they needed to acknowledge that… aw, thanks! I'm glad you like it!**

 **NightFury326: I'm tryin', I'm tryin'...! :D**

* * *

Hiccup was jolted into consciousness by a stabbing pain in his back.

He groaned. The pain was terrible… and why was he so hot? What had happened? The last thing he remembered was facing Ryker in the prison cell… and then he was trying to fight back, when…

He couldn't remember any more than that.

"Hiccup?" a strong, feminine voice asked in the middle of the darkness. "Hiccup? Are you awake? Gods, please answer… Hiccup…"

 _Astrid,_ Hiccup realized. He was with Astrid somewhere… where were they, though? A fuzzy collection of memories streamed his mind, causing him to wince. Most of them were too dim to make out, but he understood enough to know that he was inside a prison cell with Astrid and Heather, right after Ryker-

He grimaced. He didn't want to think about what Ryker did to him. It had been one of the most painful things he had ever experienced.

"Hiccup, _please."_ Astrid's tone was now pained and full of sorrow. "You have to wake up. You've been unconscious too long… come on, Hiccup. Talk to me." She paused, and the boy sensed she was gathering her thoughts. "I… I don't know what I could do if anything happened to you. If you don't make it, or-or if Dagur doesn't get here in time…" She sniffed quite loudly, which was surprising to Hiccup. Astrid never cried. _Never._

"Hey, it's alright," he heard Heather say from the corner. "He'll wake up soon. I know he will."

"I know, but…" Astrid trailed off, leaving an empty space in the air. "What if he doesn't? Oh, this is all my fault."

 _No, it's not,_ Hiccup thought, upset. _I can't let her believe that…. I have to wake up now._ He winced. The very thought of opening his eyes and entering a world of pain made him want to curl up into a ball. But Astrid needed him. He couldn't be selfish.

"A-Astrid," he muttered, struggling to open his eyes. "Y-you okay?"

A moment later, his eyelids finally opened, and he realized he was lying on the ground with Astrid looking down at him. The girl sucked in a breath as Hiccup came into consciousness. "Hiccup…?" she asked, daring to hope that he was alright. "Hiccup!"

Next thing Hiccup knew, he was being tackled by Astrid, who was in a frenzy of relief. It hurt his wounded back when she did, but he didn't mind. Astrid was here with him _._ Ryker wasn't around for now. He would be alright.

Astrid removed her arms when Hiccup grunted, and she sat back up. Her eyes were filled with a deep solicitude at his fragile condition. "Hiccup! What happened?" she demanded, losing her calm demeanor. "What did Ryker do to you? Oooh, I swear- I'll break that half-troll, son of a munge bucket's neck for-"

"Astrid," Hiccup interrupted her, suddenly feeling uneasy. "I-I really don't want to talk about it."

Pausing, Astrid cocked her head. She wanted to press the subject, yet she knew that if Hiccup didn't want to cooperate, she wouldn't get anywhere. "Okay." Astrid swallowed. "I'm still going to have to look at your wounds, though. We can't risk you getting an infection while Ryker has us."

Hiccup groaned. He desperately wanted to close his eyes and let sleep take over again, but he knew Astrid was right. "Fine.. b-but make it q-quick." The last thing he wanted to do was make his back hurt even more. It already felt like it was being stabbed by thousands of burning-hot knifes, and he knew he'd pass out if Astrid moved him around too much.

The girl nodded, rubbing her hands together. "Okay, good. I'll make this as quick as I can, so…" She abruptly grabbed his shoulders and flipped him over on his stomach.

" _Ow!_ What was that for?" Hiccup snapped, his back seemingly on fire. He heard Toothless let out a warning growl from the corner. _Toothless._ Hiccup smiled. Good. He was still alive. Whatever Ryker had in the dart that was thrown at the dragon hadn't been fatal.

Astrid tutted at his behavior. "It hurts less when you're caught unexpected."

With a scowl, Hiccup muttered, "I'd beg to differ."

"Excuse me?"

"W-what? I didn't s-say anything. I'm _wounded,_ remember?"

Astrid let out an exasperated sigh, and Hiccup felt content with avoiding another scolding. It was true, he rarely played the I'm-wounded-so-I-should-get-special-treatment card, as he hated having people worry about him, but with Astrid… well, she was a completely different case.

"Alright. This is going to hurt a bit," Astrid announced, ready to roll Hiccup's blood-stained shirt up to see the wounds.

"Terrific," Hiccup said sarcastically.

Rolling her eyes, Astrid shared an amused look with Heather, who was sitting silently next to the dragons. Heather shrugged, and patted the now-awake Windshear. _Just go with it,_ she mouthed, giving a thumbs up.

Astrid took in a shaky breath. "Okay, here goes…" She grabbed the bottom of Hiccup's shirt, and slowly started to roll it up.

Hiccup stiffened from beneath her. _Thor, please stop..._ Soon, he found himself panting. Every part of his body burned like it was being doused in fire. His back pain was the worst of it all, though. A stabbing pain ran down the line of wounds he had attained, making him want to cry out. But, he couldn't. Not while Astrid was right there.

"Breathe, Hiccup, breathe," Astrid murmured. She hated hurting Hiccup, but it was the only way to see how bad his injuries were.

"I'm… f-fine…," he choked out.

"Sure, Hiccup. That's why you're bleeding all over the place."

And indeed he was. It seemed that Hiccup's shirt, even as ragged as it was, was the only thinking holding back the bloodstream. Astrid tried to see where it was all coming from, and when she found out just what the cuts looked like, she gasped.

"Oh, no… Hiccup… h-he didn't…"

"Yes," said Hiccup softly.

Astrid's fists clenched in rage as she inspected Hiccup's back again. It was covered in dozens of cuts and gashes, each varying from a few inches to a foot long. The depth of the wounds was horrid as well. Blood seeped out, and Astrid pressed Hiccup's shirt to slow down the steady flow.

The boy yelped, unable to hold it back. "Don't do that!"

Astrid pulled away, her eyes wide. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean…" She breathed out. "Hiccup, can you tell me exactly what happened with you and Ryker? I need to know how much he did _it."_ She made it clear that she wouldn't say that terrible word.

But Hiccup didn't care about any of that right now.

Deep down, he knew that it was finally time to finally explain what had happened.

"I-It's all kind of f-fuzzy, but…" He shut his eyes tighter, his nose being smushed against the ground. "Ryker, h-he… well, when I woke up, he had me in the sword-training room, and I was confused. I thought w-we were going to t-train, but I realized th-that he realized I was a t-traitor to him. M-my head really hurt, and… I couldn't fight back when he-" He stopped himself, wanting to escape the memories.

"When he brought out the whip."

Astrid froze, and a hefty silence filled the air. Hiccup. Had. Been. Whipped. It seemed… _impossible._ He was Hiccup- sure, he had had his crashes with Toothless, lost his foot to the Red Death, and been captured by villains many, many times, but _whipped…_ She shivered, and was suddenly filled with an uncontrollable anger. She would kill Ryker. She'd snap his neck, stab him, throw him off a cliff, and then offer him to the wild dragons. And then she'd take his rotten bones and dump them into the sea where no one would ever find them. Because no one, _no one_ did anything that terrible to Hiccup. Not her Hiccup.

"Go on," she whispered. "It's okay- you can tell me."

Hiccup bit his lip as his back throbbed more. "I-I-I told him not to d-do it… I said h-he wouldn't gain anything f-from hurting me… but then he said, 'I'll gain pleasure,' and…" He trailed off. "After the twentieth lash, I passed out. I don't remember anything after that, except waking up in here."

Astrid felt her heart break in half. Hiccup had been whipped into _unconscious_. Who could have done such a thing? Only a monster.

And that's exactly what Ryker was.

"Hey, Astrid?" Hiccup muttered. "Can you finish checking out my back? I don't feel… that good…" He hated to admit it, but he very much did. If he stayed in the position for any longer, he'd pass out.

Nodding, Astrid tried to calm her raging thoughts. She couldn't think about getting revenge on Ryker now. Not while Hiccup was wounded and needed medical attention, which she might be able to offer.

"Okay," she said. "First thing's first, we need something to bandage you up with."

An uncomfortable paused ensued after.

Heather cleared her throat. "Astrid… we don't have anything in here to use. Ryker didn't even give us any supplies to help Hiccup. How can we-"

Astrid silenced her by holding up her hand. A grim smile curled on her lips, and her hand trailed its way over to one of her pockets. "I was going to wait until I used it," she began, her fingers getting closer, "but seeing as Hiccup needs it more right now, I think it's time."

Hiccup grunted. "What?" He struggled to roll over, and when he did, lifted his head off the ground to see what Astrid was doing. His auburn hair looked messier than usual as he cocked his head in confusion. "Astrid, what do you have in your pocket?"

Grinning, Astrid pulled her hand out. "This." And on her palm was-

"A key?" Heather gasped. Toothless rumbled from the corner with excitement, and Windshear's tail flicked upwards. Heather looked amazed. "Where did you get it? H-how?"

Astrid fingered the key casually, and shrugged. "Remember when the guard came in and I helped him move the dragons into the cells?"

"You _what?"_ Hiccup asked. "Astrid, why would you-"

"Oh, I get it," Heather cut in, not letting Hiccup continue. "I had wondered why you helped the guard out… I mean, why would you even do that? But I see now: you didn't want to help him. You just wanted to steal his key!" She slapped her hand on her knee. "Impressive, Astrid. Very impressive."

"Yeah, well, I knew we'd have to get out of here _eventually,_ and since Hiccup didn't have a plan…" Astrid flexed her fingers. "I had to take matters into my own hands. Anyways, I can sneak out of the cell and get Hiccup everything he needs. So." She looked a bit embarrassed. "What _do_ we need? I'm not an expert in doctoring, after all."

Heather scratched at her neck. "Well, bandages for sure. And we'll need some clean water and alcohol if you can get some." At Astrid's surprised expression, the other girl quickly added, "It keeps away infection."

Astrid nodded. "Okay… bandages, water, alcohol… oh, and food, too." On cue, her stomach rumbled with hunger. The three hadn't eaten anything for at least a day, and she knew they'd have to keep up their strength if they wished to escape. Plus, there were the dragons to worry about as well. They were just as hungry- if not hungrier- than the riders.

"I-it's too dangerous," Hiccup coughed, now too weak to lift his head. He let himself relax on the ground, but winced when his back screamed in protest. "I c-can't let you d-do this. I'll just hang o-on until Dagur and my dad get h-here…" He closed his eyes, drifting off. "Y-yeah… just until th-they get here…"

Alarmed, Astrid shook Hiccup. "Hiccup, don't fall asleep!" she ordered. "We don't know how bad your injuries are, so…"

"S-so you're afraid I'll n-never wake up again?" the boy filled in, his gaze falling to the floor. "Y-you don't have to p-pretend I don't know. But A-Astrid, I'm so t-tired…"

Heather crossed her arms. "Don't worry, Astrid. I'll keep him awake."

Toothless snorted in agreement. He wouldn't let his rider get hurt either.

Astrid tilted her head. "I guess it's settled, then. I'll go and get Hiccup what he needs now."

"I-I don't want y-you going, Astrid," Hiccup insisted, suddenly getting protective of her. "What i-if Ryker caught you? He could… h-he could…" _Oh, Thor. What if he whips Astrid too?_

Smiling, Astrid rubbed her chin. It felt nice knowing that he still cared what happened to her. Until the day before, she had thought he wanted her dead. Biting her lip, Astrid knew that Hiccup desperately needed some sort of comfort. He had gotten amnesia, kidnapped, been fed all kinds of lies from Ryker, and then had gotten whipped. No one, no matter how strong they might seem, should be able to go through that.

Her mind made up, Astrid bent over Hiccup and she...

Kissed him.

It didn't last nearly as short as she imagined in her head. No, she kissed him for a good, long time, not wanting to lose any second of it. It was just her and him. Together. _Alive_. And she couldn't bear ever watching him go.

Hiccup stiffened at first, but then he relaxed.

Astrid pulled away all too quickly, it seemed. She looked a bit flushed in the face when Heather chuckled.

"I-I…" She felt heat rush to her cheeks. "I'm…"

"It's okay, Astrid," Hiccup smiled. He felt a lot better, actually. Ready to stand. Ready to walk. Ready to run. Ready to- _Hang on, there. Don't get too ahead of yourself, Hiccup,_ he grumbled. _You're still too injured to even sit up by yourself._

"Y-yeah, thanks." Astrid cleared her throat. Even though Hiccup and her had been courting each other for up to a month, the amnesia bit came in, and that made everything that had been real for years shatter into nothing. Hiccup hadn't been the same person for awhile, so it was a little... _awkward_.

"I'll be back soon," she promised, standing up. Hiccup nodded, though it was hesitant. After all, this was for the best. His survival rested in Astrid's hands- but he knew she wouldn't let him down. She never had, and she never would.

Taking in a sharp breath, the girl slid the key into the lock and twisted it.

 _Hiccup_ , she thought to herself, eyes burning with determination. _I'm not coming back until I get exactly what you need. No matter what happens, no matter what obstacles I face, no matter what consequences I will bear in the end, I will get you better. I_ will _._

With that, she flipped open the cell door, and sprinted out.

What would happen next was uncertain. But one thing was clear: if she didn't get medical assistance for Hiccup soon… well, there might not be a Hiccup to apologize to when she got back.

* * *

 **HAHAHAHA! Did you REALLY expect this to be a hillhanger? *bursts into tears of evil laughter* No, no… I left you guys on a biggie!**

 **Well, I supposed I haven't changed since I last updated… MWAHAHAHA. But did you really expect it to? :)**

 **Also, guys,** **katurdi** **and** **animalsarepeopletoo** **have been very generous and drawn some FanArt for HTTYH!. You can go on** **DeviantArt** **and search for katurdi** **for** **katurdi,** **and** **animalsarepeople2** **for** **animalsarepeopletoo** **. THANK YOU, KATURDI AND ANI!**

 **Okay, okay… I honestly don't know if I can update for the next few days. I have… END OF THE YEAR TESTING, GET DOWN! *shivers* But I'll post as soon as I can! I PROMISE. I AM NOT AVOIDING THIS STORY AT ALL.**

 **Well, until the next chapter!**

 ***smiles evilly***

 **Wait, I mean UNTIL THE NEXT CLIFFHANGER! WAHAHAHAHA!**

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	21. Chapter 21

**Ugh, so sorry it's taken me so long to update! *cries* But guess what: I'M DONE WITH SCHOOL NOW, WHOOP DE WHOOP! I'll have more time to write! Anyway, only a few more chapters of HTTYH! *sniffs* *pats story* There, there, you SHALL live forever.**

 **Here's the song for this chapter and then shoutouts!**

 **(to the tune of What Makes You Beautiful)**

 _ **Purple, you shake up my world like nobody else**_

 _ **The way you leave cliffhangers gets me overwhelmed**_

 _ **But when you say 'wahahaha', it ain't hard to tell**_

 _ **You don't know, oh oh**_

 _ **You don't know you're evil**_

 _ **If only you read what I can read**_

 _ **You'll understand why I want you to update so desperately**_

 _ **Right now I'm reviewing your stories and I can't believe**_

 _ **You don't know, oh oh**_

 _ **You don't know you're evil, oh oh**_

 _ **That's what makes you even more evil**_

 **Shoutouts:**

 **katurdi: Eh, it's not THAT evil… *cackles* Yes, HICCSTRID KISS YAAAAAAAAAAAAY! *hugs self, squealing* Haha, I enjoy leaving cliffies! First off, if I know I left you guys on a cliffie, I'll be more forced to write instead of dawdling. Aw, thank you!**

 **FanWriter02: YAY THEY KISSED! *dances around* Yes! I, Queen Cliffie of FanFiction, strike again! Cliffies are my signature move, after all! Thanks!**

 **SailorMew4: Yep! THEY FINALLY KISSED!**

 **Silentleap85: Weeeelll… hmm… 3 cookies? *taps chin thoughtfully* I'll tell ya what- I'll put that under advisement.:D Very tempting offer…. Hmmmmm….**

 **Hiccstridlover13: *dances in your cofetti* YES, It's about time they kissed! I mean, it took 20 chapters for them to do it, gods! *inspects crown, smiling* Thank you!**

 **phieillydinyia: I agree! I infuriate even myself!**

 **animalsarepeopletoo: Yep, I'm finally back! THEY KISSED HEHEHEHEHEHEHE! Your welcome! I loved writing it! Haha, yes I gave you a cliffie! You should know better than to trust ME! Thank you! Here's your chapter!**

 **Astrid E Lokison: *grabs you and we both dance around* HAHAHA THEY KISSED THEY KISSED THEY KISSED! Yes, Astrid's pretty smart to have gotten the key! Yeah, in Night of the Hunters with Ruff, it WAS kind of weird! Haha, yes I'm evil! But I'm glad you still like the stories! Yeah, end of the year testing has its up and downs! Thanks!**

 **Guest #1: Thank you! Yes, I'm just as furious with Ryker… grrr… STOP SLAPPING HIM, RYKER OR I'LL SLAP YOU! *slaps Ryker* There we go!**

 **AvatarAngel0723: Glad you liked the song and the Hiccstrid kiss! I enjoyed writing them!:D Gah, you're right? Will Astrid save Hiccup in time? I dunno! Read and find out! *gasps* Astrid… caught? No! Your song is above!:D More Hiccstrid is coming! Probably Hicctooth as well. Here's the update!**

 **Guest #2: I'm happy you liked the chapter! Thank you!**

 **PKWolf014: Yep! FanFiction was down for a couple of weeks, so it stopped sending out chapter alerts for some reason. *shrugs* Yay! Glad you like it! Yep, I'll strangle Ryker too! He's gotten out of hand! Thank you!**

 **Clover and Darkness: I'm an EVIL person, wahaha! Aw, thanks! I'm glad you like it. NO DON'T YOU DARE TAKE MY CROWN! *snatches it back* I'm Queen Cliffie! NO ONE takes my crown!:D**

 **jessygirl03: Haha, well I'm glad you like it! Here's your update! Hiccup's condition will be revealed later on... WAHAHAHAHA.**

 **HiccupZain: Thank you! Yeah, I enjoyed writing the Hiccstrid too. :D Haha, yes, there'll be more cliffies… I'm not sure if this will end on one, though. You'll have to read and see!**

 **Goldeneyeddragon101: Haha, yep, we're waiting for Heathlegs! Which I PROMISE will come, DON'T WORRY. :) Thanks! Yes, I'm almost done! *runs towards the finish line, smiling* *cliffie jumps in the way* *we all scream* Aw, thanks!**

 **Gods, guys, thank you for all the reviews! I mean, we're past 200, woah! THANK YOU.**

 **Anyhoo, here's the long awaited CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE!**

* * *

Even though Astrid had only been gone for five minutes at the very most, Hiccup was getting worried. He had tried to sit up and look around the cell to see if he could put anything at use, but it caused too much pain in his back.

Heather was just glad Hiccup wasn't trying to sleep. If he did, she wasn't sure if he'd ever wake up. Though it was a back wound and not a head one, it was still dangerous in its own ways.

Toothless growled as Hiccup tried to sit up again, and the boy reluctantly lowered himself to the floor. "I'm fine, bud," he argued, rolling his eyes when Toothless snorted. "I just want to sit up… hey, Heather, is Astrid back yet?"

Heather sighed. "Not yet, Hiccup. Not yet."

Biting his lip, Hiccup nodded. "Okay…" A few beats passed, and then he began to try to sit up once more. He held back cries of pain when his back burned in protest, but was still persistent. Toothless glared, and tried to paw Hiccup back to the floor.

"Hiccup, stop! You're going to hurt yourself!" Heather protested, forcing Hiccup to lie down again. "It's not healthy!"

Toothless rumbled with agreement, and Windshear growled.

"Fine, fine," Hiccup muttered, stopping his protests. For a minute he didn't say anything else, but then he asked once more, "Is Astrid back yet?"

Heather glanced up at the stairs, her ears trying to pick up any sound of Astrid's arrival. There was nothing, and she sighed. "No."

"Oh." Hiccup, suddenly overwhelmed by a wave of sleepiness, began to close his eyes. Sleep seemed so welcoming… so warm and cozy… a way to escape all the pain he was feeling now… he was about to surrender to unconsciousness when Heather noticed his eyelids drooping. "Hiccup!" she yelped, shaking his arm. "Don't fall asleep!"

Groaning, Hiccup peeked open his eyes. "Just… so tired… mmm, is Astrid back yet?"

Heather shook her head, concerned with her friend's state. "Hiccup, you just asked me that. No, she's not back from getting the supplies yet, but she'll be here very soon, and then you'll feel much better."

"I'm fine," Hiccup grunted, his eyes floating in and out of focus. "Don't need…. her to risk-"

"Shh, shh…" Heather quieted him with a hard look. "Astrid is doing what she thinks is best right now. There's no stopping her when there's a chance to get rid of your pain." She winced when Hiccup moaned. "Hey, are you alright?"

"Right as rain," Hiccup muttered. His eyes began to close, but he forced them to stay open. Astrid wanted him to remain awake, so he had to try. For her.

"I don't think you're 'alright'," Heather sighed, her brow furrowing in concern. "Tell me the truth, Hiccup. How much does your back hurt?" When the boy didn't answer, she crossed her arms. "How much?"

"Um… eight out of ten," Hiccup replied, avoiding her gaze.

"Hiccup…"

"Okay… okay… it's a- a nine… or a ten sometimes..."

Heather held back a curse, and once again wondered just how Hiccup held in all of that pain. She probably couldn't do it herself, and that was saying something. She frowned, studying him closer. "Hiccup, why are you sweating?"

The Rider shrugged, but it was painful. "Isn't it… a bit warm down here?"

Toothless growled with concern, shuffling on his feet. Heather bit her lip. "No, it's not warm in here at all, Hiccup. It's actually quite cold… hang on, let me see if you have a temperature." She put her hand on Hiccup's forehead and waited for the result. Eyes narrowed, she pulled away. Hiccup wasn't burning up, but he wasn't at a regular temperature either. "Oh, gods, I think you're starting to get a fever from your wound."

Hiccup's eyes widened, yet he didn't react. "Oh. Makes sense… well, Astrid will be back soon enough, so there's no reason to worry… right?"

Heather dipped her head.

"Heather…?" he asked. "Right?"

"Hiccup," Heather breathed, her voice wavering, "I-I honestly… I don't know."

* * *

Astrid flattened herself against the side of the wall, looking around for any incoming guards. It had been ten minutes since her prison break, and she hadn't seen any Dragon Hunters around in the halls.

But that didn't mean she wasn't going to be cautious. If anything, it made her even _more_ cautious. Where was everyone? It was like they had all disappeared.

Astrid moved slowly down the hall again, her footsteps not making a sound against the stone floor. Stealth was one of her specialties, and this was the perfect time to put it at use. Hiccup's life depended on it. She needed to get those supplies before his condition took a turn for the worse.

Astrid was about to cross an intersection, when she heard a few sets of footsteps coming towards her. _Dragon Hunters._ Panicked, she looked around for somewhere to hide while they passed. Right before the soldiers came, she ducked under a nearby table, panting.

As the Hunters came down the hallway, she could hear snippets of their conversation.

"-what Ryker said!"

"No!"

"Really? The Berserker ships have been sighted?"

"Yeah. Ryker's just pretending he hasn't seen them so he can set up a trap."

"Clever…"

"Well, we'll blast them into bits, won't we boys?"

"Aye!"

"It'll be fun running them all through…"

The Dragon Hunters finally disappeared down the hall, their words muffled by distance. Astrid let out a gasp when they were gone, and her heart thudded with both fear and relief.

The Berserker army was still coming for them, at least. They had figured out what had happened to her and Heather, and were nearing Ryker's base… completely unaware that they were already found out, and that this was all a trap…

"No," she whispered, stumbling back. "I won't let the Dragon Hunters hurt my friends." She sighed, rubbing her hands together. "But first, Hiccup is my top priority… then the Berserkers and the Riders are… I'll save all of them."

With a quick nod, she continued down the hall, keeping an eye out for any doors along the way.

 _Where would the Dragon Hunters even keep their medical supplies?_ she wondered, chewing on her lip. _Do they even have them?_ She nearly laughed at the thought. _No, of course they do, what with all the times we've attacked them with our dragons…_

But still. Where could she find the supplies?

Astrid sighed, her thoughts running a mile a minute. She had to find them, no matter what. She couldn't fail Hiccup again.

Because Astrid couldn't- no, _wouldn't_ let anything else happen to him.

* * *

"Dagur!" Gustav said cheerfully as said Berserker passed him on the ship. "I have a question!"

Dagur stopped walking, annoyed. The kid hadn't stopped bothering him for an hour now, and it turned out that even his famed death glare couldn't frighten the boy off. "What?" he snapped. "What is it now?"

Gustav bounded over to his side, a large smile on his face. "I was wondering… what would be the best way to ask Heather out? You know, the best way for _her_ to handle it. I'm totally fine with whatever way we end up together."

Growling, Dagur felt the urge to go for his sword, but he pushed it away. "My sister's been kidnapped by Ryker. She's not 'going out' with anybody. Plus, she's been poisoned. I don't even know if she's alive…" Dagur's heart was filled with remorse, and he sighed.

"Oh! I get it," Gustav beamed. "I'll tell her the hard way." He cleared his throat, and deepened his voice. "Heather, I've come to inform you that if you don't go on a date with me now, I shall never love you again… hey, that was pretty good! What do you think?"

Dagur rolled his eyes. "Great. Yeah, sure…" His eyes flickered up from Gustav, and he saw Stoick on the other side of the ship, pacing. Eager for an excuse to leave the kid behind, Dagur brushed by him and went over to the Berkian chief. "Stoick! How're you doing now that we're so close to Hiccup, Heather, and Astrid?" he asked.

Stoick stopped pacing, and looked up in surprise. "Hello, Dagur… and oh, yes. I'm quite ready to get my boy back." He cracked his knuckles, scowling. "Ryker's going to pay for ever messing with the Berkians."

"And Berserkers," Dagur added.

"And Berserkers, yes, yes… so, what's the battle plan? Attack first and ask questions later?"

Dagur tapped his chin. "I've gone over a few strategies with my soldiers, and we haven't found an attack formation that will guarantee success just yet, but attacking like that has come close."

"I don't need guarantees!" Stoick exclaimed. "All I need to do is get on that island, and I'll get Hiccup out myself." He smiled grimly. "Then I'll have a little _chat_ with Ryker."

Smiling, Dagur rubbed his hands together. "Oooh, I can't wait to hear his jaw crunching beneath my fist… it'll feel so good-" He stopped, and reminded himself that he wasn't going back to anger. Not while Heather in danger. "Yes, he'll pay… he took my sister, and I'm going to show him that it was the biggest mistake of his life. Because _no one_ hurts Heather." He darkened. "And if they do, they're not going to get off easy."

"As for Hiccup," Stoick said. "So, back to battle plans… we should arrive at Ryker's base in the morning." He gazed off into the sea. "We'll pull the ships to a stop tonight and get rested up in the cover of darkness. Then we attack at dawn's first light and retrieve my son, Astrid, and Heather."

"Yes, Stoick," Dagur frowned, and scanned the horizon as well. Ryker's base faintly showed up ahead. "We're going to get them back."

* * *

"I found it," Astrid murmured in disbelief as she looked over the room she just discovered. "I found the medical supplies…" And indeed she had. It had taken awhile to locate the right room, as she often entered many useless ones.

But now, she was finally here at her destination. The medical room. Not to her surprise, it wasn't very big. There were only a few tables and shelves on the walls, making it look bland. She saw just a few vials of medicine along the walls, which she figured was where Hiccup had gotten Heather's antidote from.

Astrid sighed, looking around. _Okay, I need… bandages, water, alcohol, and food._ Her stomach rumbled, and she scowled. No, first thing was first- bandages. Hiccup needed something to prevent any more blood flow, and that would help the best.

She narrowed her eyes as she began to inspect the room. "Bandages… where do they keep their bandages?" Her eyes floated up to a cabinet on the wall, and she snapped her fingers. A second later, she was opening up the cabinet doors, and found a stack of thick white bandages inside. Astrid did not hesitate to grab almost all of them.

 _Next, water and alcohol,_ she thought. Great. Where would she get those things? She wasn't even sure if they were in the room with her. _Maybe I'll at least find alcohol._ Astrid nodded.

She set up another search in the room, scouring each drawer, cabinet, and box for what she needed. Fortunately, a few small flasks of alcohol turned up to be inside a drawer, and Astrid grabbed two of them.

Rubbing her chin, the girl wondered just where she could find water. The Hunters probably wouldn't have it in here… they would have it in their drinking supply.

Astrid almost cursed. She didn't have enough time to search through this base just to find some water… she'd have to return to the cells without it. And possibly with no food, either. _We can survive without food,_ she told herself. _But water is more important._

"Hey!"

A deep voice startled her from her thoughts.

"What are you doing in here?"

Astrid swerved around, and was met with the face of an angry Dragon Hunter. He stood in the doorway, half of his face covered in a mask. Still, that didn't make it any harder to see his frown.

But Astrid barely noticed his face, for what she was most interested in was his belt.

Because on his belt, there was a water flask.

Astrid straightened, her eyes blazing with fury. "I escaped," she spat with a quick roll of her eyes. "It turns out your little prison stronghold isn't so strong after all."

The soldier glowered at her. "How dare you treat me with such disrespect! I'm taking you back to your cell immediately!"

"You know, I could easily blame this all on you to Ryker," Astrid drawled, amused. "He'd punish you for letting me get out of my cell with so much ease… now, I suggest you hand over your water jug to me before things get ugly."

"Why do you need my water?" the Hunter asked with suspicion.

"Why are you asking?" Astrid returned, just as dark. "Okay. I see how it is. Since you're not cooperating…" She quickly ran forward, and after she grabbed the Dragon Hunter's own sword from its sheath, she aimed it at him.

The soldier froze, terrified. "P-please don't k-kill me!" he stuttered. "I only w-work for Ryker b-because I have t-to!"

"You're lucky I have mercy," Astrid growled. "If I didn't, I'd kill you now." She grabbed his water flask with a successful grin. "Sleep tight." And then she hit him over the head with the sword.

The Hunter crumpled to the floor, unconscious, and Astrid smirked. It felt nice to make him pay for Hiccup's condition, even if he hadn't been the one to harm him. She studied the sword in her hand thoughtfully. It'd make a useful weapon if they had to fight back against Ryker.

So, with medical supplies, water, and a sword, Astrid ran out of the room, heading back to Hiccup and Heather's cell.

 _Hang on, Hiccup… hang on._

* * *

Toothless licked at Hiccup's warm forehead, growling with worry.

In the hour Astrid had been gone, Hiccup's fever had been slowly rising. And as Heather felt his forehead for the seventh time… yes, it did feel a bit warmer than before. She coughed, rubbing Windshear. Oh, when would Astrid be back?

Hiccup muttered something incoherent, fighting the hard battle of keeping his eyes open. "Is… Astrid back yet?" he finally managed to ask, the effort causing him to be beaded in sweat.

Heather looked up at the stairs, and listened for any sign of her friend coming down. No. Nothing. "Not yet, Hiccup," she told him. "But soon. She'll be back soon."

"Good…" Hiccup slurred.

Toothless laid down beside his rider, his neon green eyes sparkling with worry.

Hiccup chuckled. "I'm… okay… bud…" He paused, cocking his head. "H-Heather? Do y-you… hear that…? It sounds… l-like someone… is coming down.. here... is… Astrid back… yet?" He hoped she was. The pain in his back made it feel like he was on fire.

Biting her lip, Heather allowed a moment of silence to pass between them. At first, there was nothing… but then there was a small patter of feet from the stairs… and yes, now it was much more steady than it had been before…

 _What if it's not Astrid?_ Heather thought, nervousness gripping her. _What if it's Ryker coming to take Hiccup away again? Or what if it's me this time?_

Her fears vanished when Astrid revealed herself from the stair's shadows, and raced towards the cell. "Astrid! You're back," Heather grinned, relieved to see her friend. "You don't know how good it is to see you." She gestured to the sweating Hiccup. "He's not... he's not doing well."

Astrid then noticed just how poor of state Hiccup was in now, and gasped as she unlocked the cage door with her keys. "Heather, what happened?"

"He's running a fever," the Berserker explained. "We need those medical supplies now."

Astrid got the cage door opened, and slid inside, emptying her stuffed pockets on the way, along with the sword. "I-I've got some water, alcohol, and bandages," she announced, and handed the items over to Heather. "Please… help him."

Heather nodded. "Alright. First, we have to get some fluids into him." She grabbed the flask of water, and looked over at Hiccup. "Hiccup…? We're going to give you some water okay? You need to stay hydrated."

His eyes opening to their fullest, Hiccup croaked, "Okay."

Heather held out the flask to his lips, and Hiccup slowly began to drink. After the fifth sip, though, he started to cough. "No-no more," he whispered, lowering his head. "Please…"

Heather gave Astrid a worried look, but pulled the water away. "That's fine, Hiccup… alright, now we're going to roll you on your stomach so we can bandage your wounds."

Hiccup groaned.

Astrid, getting more concerned by the second, gripped Hiccup's hand. "It's going to be okay, Hiccup," she promised. "We're going to get you through this… you'll be better in no time. And then we all can defeat Ryker once and for all… hey, guess what? I overheard some guards talking in the hallway, and they said that they saw Berserker ships out at sea. Your father is waiting for you, Hiccup. Berk is waiting for you. The Riders are waiting for you. We're all waiting for you."

Hiccup took a deep breath in, looking even more pale than before. "I guess I'll just have to be brave, then."

"You've always been brave." Astrid smiled. "Who knew that it would take you this long to admit it?"

Grinning weakly, Hiccup studied Astrid's face. "You're beautiful, you know."

Astrid reddened. "That's besides the point, dragon boy."

"But you are…" Hiccup pushed. "Just know that… you've always been beautiful to me…" He trailed off, and looked over at Heather. "Okay… I'm ready." Then his eyes went to Astrid. "You'll stay… with me?"

"Always," Astrid murmured, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "And I'm never going to let you go again."

* * *

 **Hiccstrid feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllzzzzzzzzzzzzz! Badaboom! I'm on a roll over here! :D** **Oh yeah! Can you believe it? NO CLIFFIE. Like… WOAH! MIND SHATTERING THING, AM I RIGHT? I'm being too nice to you guys… NEXT CHAPTER, I'M DOING A CLIFFIE. WAHAHAHA. (Nah, just kidding. I don't enjoy it as much as you may think... Hehehe...)**

 **Okay, so I also have news on updating. I SHALL UPDATE HTTYH EVERY FRIDAY AND TUESDAY. I REPEAT, EVERY FRIDAY AND TUESDAY. Finally I have a schedule! I feel accomplished. ;)**

 **Annnnyyyywaaaaayyys, I hope you liked the chapter! Please fave, follow, and review! I love seeing what you guys think!**

 **Until the next chapter (WHICH WILL BE UP ON TUESDAY)!**

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	22. Chapter 22

**Did ya miss me? (probably not, what with my love for cliffies ;D) Well, it's good to be back! Here's shoutouts and then Chapter 22! Only a few more chapters to go! *sniffs* It's gone by so fast…**

 **Also, excuse if this chapter may be either short or not all that well written… I've been getting pretty bad headaches lately, which sometimes makes it hard to write… :(**

 **Shoutouts**

 **FanWriter02: Haha, great! Yep, the feelzies are realzies! Yep, poor little Hiccup. He's like a magnet that attracts danger! *grins* It's perfect. Yes, HICCUP!WHUMP, WHOO-HOO! *cackles* And Hiccup!whump with Hiccstrid is darn beautiful. Thanks for reviewing!**

 **animalsarepeopletoo: Yeah! Can you believe it- NO CLIFFIE?! I was just as shocked, by my fingers have a mind of their own! Here's your update!:) Yes, the whump reigns supreme! Glad you liked the chapter!**

 **SailorMew4: Oh, yes. Stoick and Dagur BETTER COME SOON. *glares at their ships* Come on! Get moving! And YAY! Tuesday has arrived!:D**

 **Astrid E Lokison: I know, right? THE CLIFFIE WAS NOT THERE! You know, I WAS feeling a bit ill when I wrote this… *feigns panicked expression* Oh, good for you! :D Thanks!**

 **phieillydinyia: Heh, well I'm glad you liked it! Here's your chapter! :D**

 **katurdi: GAHHH! HICCSTRID! *hyperventilates* Aw, thank you!:)**

 **AvatarAngel0723: Thanks! I had fun writing the song too! Haha, yes, poor Gustav!:D AHHH, THE HICCSTRID IS STRONG! There'll be more in the future, too!:) Yep, there'll be some pretty sweet Heathlegs moments near the end of the story! You'll see how poor Gustav reacts to Heathlegs… and I'M NOT TELLING IF THEY SAVE HICCUP! *sticks tongue out* Well, Stoick and Dagur better rescue Hiccup and the others! I'll do a song next chapter:D, I ran out of time to do one this time. Hmm, I might just hire you to kill Ryker! *cackles* Well, we'll see, won't we? Here's your update!**

 **Goldeneyeddragon: Yep, Gustav came indeed! Ugh, you're right! He WILL annoy Heather and Astrid! *locks Gustav up in cell* STAY. THERE. No more of…** _ **this.**_ ***gestures to all of him* Huh, I guess Dagur's gotten better at controlling his anger, then! Haha, okay! So happy you liked the Hiccstrid!:D *hugs you***

 **Dragxn Defender: I think it was because FanFiction had a bug and it stopped sending out chapter alerts… huh. Great! Glad you're enjoying it!:D**

 **Guest (1): Yeah, Hiccup might be dead in real life, but face the truth- it's** _ **Hiccup**_ **. He always survives. Like, DreamWorks makes him fall from 500 foot drops and he ends up perfectly fine. So, sorry if it may seem unrealistic to you, but I'm just writing it how DreamWorks would. (Also, side note: When you leave your reviews which you claim to be 'constructive criticism', could you be nicer about it? It seems that you always just list everything I did wrong for each chapter, and don't offer things I could do better in the future. And it makes me feel bad about my writing. I have a pretty low self esteem for myself some days, so it really hurts. I mean, I understand what you're trying to say, but please be nicer about it. Remember: us FanFiction writers have feelings too. Just because we're not writing novels that will get published doesn't mean we can't be offended by harsh- and in my view, it's harsh- criticism, okay? Dial it down. Be nice, or don't review my stuff at all.)**

 **Guest (2): Here's your update! :D**

 **NightFuryLover1112: Aw, it's okay! *pats you on the shoulder* Gods, you're so sweet! :D I'm happy you like my story! Sometimes, I feel like it's not good, so thanks for your kind words! They really cheered me up!:) I'm glad you think so! Haha, here's your update!**

 **Funtasticme: That's okay! I, honestly, do that for different fanfics too… oops? *laughs to self* Yay! I'm so happy you're enjoying it!:D Awwww, thanks!**

 **HanikahTheWriter: Thank you!:D I'm glad to know you're so intrigued! Oh yes, I love it when Hiccup's in danger! *squeals***

 **PKWolf014: Thanks! I'm so happy you like it!:) *gasps* Oh, Thor. Ooohh no.. NO CLIFFIE? *faints in shock* Oh, yeah. Stoick has some revenge ready for someone's name who starts with a RYK and ends with an ER. Nah, you're not the delusional one…** _ **I**_ **am. I MAY have been staying up till 3:30 every night lately… heh… Thank you!**

 **Smoe05: Yep, Astrid can be pretty stealthy when she wants to be! Oh, yeah, you're right! The Hunters act all confident but they break under pressure. It's almost hilarious:D. Aw, thanks!**

 **Clover And Darkness: Heeeeeey! *grabs crown back* *glues it to head* *hisses* It's MINE! Oh, cool, I'll have to take a look at it!**

* * *

Astrid smiled down at Hiccup, who laid peacefully asleep on the prison floor.

To her relief, it hadn't pained him as much as she'd thought to dress his wounds, and his fever was lowering by the hour. It seemed that the small bit of water inside of him _did_ help, as well as some alcohol on his back, which had stung at first but ended up taking away most of the pain.

Right after Astrid and Heather finished bandaging Hiccup, the boy had fallen asleep in seconds. He was more exhausted than he had first let on, and now that he was safe from infection, he was able to sleep comfortably.

Astrid, of course, was still worried about him. There was always the risk of Ryker taking Hiccup away again and finishing him off for good. And if Hiccup didn't get better soon, she feared that their chances of escaping from here all together would drop steadily.

Heather seemed to sense Astrid's distress from across the cell, and smiled over at her. She was leaning against Windshear, purple bags drooping below her eyes. Astrid realized that they both hadn't gotten any sleep for more than a day, making her wince.

"Hey, it's going to be all right," Heather said with a smile. "Hiccup's going to make it. He's strong."

"I-I guess you're right…" Astrid shrugged, glancing back over at the sleeping Hiccup. "But there's always that chance that he won't pull through… he was _whipped_ for Thor's sake." She shivered. "I'm just not sure Hiccup can keep going through these incidents."

Heather scratched Windshear's chin. "Well, for now all we can do it support him. He needs a quick recovery if we plan to get out of here soon." She yawned. "And we need some sleep too, don't we?" The Berserker laid her head against her dragon's chest. "Night, Astrid…" In moments, her eyes closed and her breathing steadied as sleep claimed her.

Astrid knew she should sleep as well, though she hated to admit it. Taking care of Hiccup while he was injured was never an easy task, and it always took a lot out of her. So, with obvious reluctance, she leaned her head back against the stone wall. All she could do as her eyes completely closed was take in another glance at Hiccup before she submitted herself to unconsciousness.

* * *

When Astrid awoke hours later, she had a bad feeling in her stomach.

Almost immediately, her eyes snapped open and she looked over at Hiccup with worry. But the boy seemed to be fine, still slumbering on in peace. She let out a breath of relief, but then sucked it in again.

Why did she feel like something was wrong? That something bad was going to happen if she didn't act right now? Why-

Suddenly, she realized the reason.

The day before, when she set off to retrieve Hiccup's medical supplies that he so desperately needed, she had overheard a few guards in the hallway. They mentioned that they had seen the Berserker ships coming, but Ryker called off an attack so he could… _set up a trap._

Astrid's blood ran cold.

 _They're setting up a trap… oh, Thor._ "Heather!" she whispered, careful not to wake Hiccup. "Heather, I have news! Wake up!"

Heather, leaning against Windshear's warm side, slowly opened her green eyes in confusion. She studied Astrid for a moment before replying. "What…? Why? What's so important?"

"It's the Berserkers, Heather," Astrid hissed. "They're in danger."

Freezing, Heather's countenance went from dazed and sleepy to pure horror. "No! Dagur's with them… he can't be in danger. A-Astrid…" Her eyes shimmered with concern. "What happened? What makes you think they're in trouble?"

With a shaky breath, Astrid repeated her story of overhearing the Hunters in the hallway, and then listed her realizations that Ryker had set up a trap planned for the Berserker army. "Who knows?" she said, worry thick in her tone. "Project Shellfire could even be back on. We never saw the dragon _die,_ did we? Or maybe it's something even worse."

Heather looked even more terrified. "No… you don't think-"

"Yeah... another ultimate battle might begin again," Astrid cut in, filled with uneasiness. "We have to warn the Berserkers before they do something stupid and attack without a plan." She looked up. "No, not _us…_ just _you_ have to warn them."

Heather frowned. "Me? Why?"

Astrid tipped her head with a sigh. "I have the keys to get out of here, so that's a start. You can take Windshear and sneak out- I know, it'll be hard with a giant Razorwhip with you, but I know you'll manage somehow. I don't want you to take Hiccup, though. He's too unstable to move around… okay, after that, you can go and fly back to your brother and Stoick and warn them to take a different approach at attacking the island. For now, though, delay the battle as long as you can." She frowned. "I'll try and send a Terrible Terror with a note directing the army on where to attack when I've figured out their secret weapon, okay?"

"But Astrid," Heather pressed, "what about you?"

Astrid shrugged. "I need to stay here with Hiccup while he recovers, anyway. And once he's back on his feet, we'll escape from this cell and come to the docks of this island." Her eyes narrowed, and her expression was grim. "Then the final battle will begin."

Heather was extremely reluctant to agree to the plan. She was leaving two of her best friends behind in a place where they were at mercy at the most cruel Dragon Hunter alive.

But her brother was in trouble, and that was enough to make her nod. "Okay. I'll do it." She stood up from her spot on the ground, looking over at Hiccup. "Should I tell him I'm leaving, or just let him sleep for now?"

"We'll let him sleep," Astrid mumbled, ashamed to say so. Still, she knew that if Hiccup found out about the plan, he'd never agree to it. He always hated risking the safety of his friends when he could do the needed task himself.

Heather nodded, understanding. "All right." She patted Windshear's head, who was slowly waking up. "Come on, girl. We're getting out of here." The Razorwhip seemed confused for a moment, but blinked her eyes a few times and was back to normal. Heather stood up, Windshear's head right beside her. "I'm ready."

Astrid, biting her lip, grabbed the keys she had stuffed underneath the slip of her skirt. She placed it inside the lock of the cell door, and then twisted it. The door clicked, and it swung open.

Taking in a shaky breath, Heather started to walk out of the cell, Windshear trailing behind. Toothless rumbled a soft goodbye before returning his attention to Hiccup, as to be expected. Astrid smiled faintly over at Heather, and gave her a last nod.

"I'll do my best to hold off the army- for now," Heather promised as she left the cell. Windshear slipped out too, stopping beside her rider.

"Good." Astrid smiled. "You be careful, okay? It's going to be tough escaping here with a dragon in tow."

Heather let out a dry laugh. "Nothing I can't handle." She nodded over at Hiccup. "Keep an eye on him, and when he wakes up, try to get him to drink more water. He needs to stay hydrated if he's going to get a full recovery."

"I will," Astrid promised. She grimaced. "You should probably go now. Every moment we waste is another moment the Berserker army is getting closer to here… to the trap, whatever that is."

"I know…" Heather breathed out. "Well, I guess this is goodbye."

"Yeah… I guess it is."

The two girls silenced before Heather started to back away. "I'll see you soon- probably."

"And I'll send you a Terror Mail saying when you should attack. There's got to be at least one Terror on the island..." She paused. "If I don't contact you, though, then attack tomorrow afternoon. I'll have something figured out by then, and Hiccup and I will have escaped."

"All right. Good… goodbye." With a barely noticeable wince, Heather started to run off, and reached the stairs in moments. She didn't hesitate to jog up them, Windshear behind her, who was trying to tread as lightly as she could to not make much noise.

Astrid gripped the cell bars before she looked over at Hiccup. The boy was still fast asleep despite the recent commotion, his brown hair tousled from the awkward position on the floor. She smiled, the fear for Heather's safety fading just a little bit. She would keep on fighting against Ryker and his twisted plans for now- for Hiccup.

Astrid nodded.

She would protect him at all times or, with the decision firm in her mind, she'd die trying.

* * *

For Stoick, waiting never came easily. Especially when his own son had been kidnapped by a madman and he himself was forced to do absolutely nothing to help until the upcoming attack.

The hours passed, and the middle of the night finally came. Currently, the Berserker army was resting up for the battle ahead, but Stoick found himself restless. He continued to pace the deck of the ship, nearly tearing his beard out in anxiety for Hiccup.

Ryker's base wasn't able to be seen in the cover of night, yet Stoick sensed its looming presence. How could he ignore it? His boy was in trouble. Only Thor knew if he was still alive… and then there was the fact that Heather and Astrid had gone missing recently too, and they were now presumed to be taken by the Dragon Hunters like Hiccup had been. He sighed, the movement of his feet not slowing.

Yawning, he blinked sleepily in the darkness. The chief knew he should go back to his cabin and get some rest, even though his thoughts urged him not to. He was about give into his yearnings for sleep, when he heard a noise coming from above him… it sounded like the flapping of wings…

Dragon wings.

Alarmed, Stoick looked up, his fists raised and ready for a fight. The sound of flapping wings got closer and closer, until the dragon landed on deck with a large _thump._ It was hard to see in the dark, and Stoick had a hard time seeing what kind of dragon it was. Eerily, though, it didn't attack him.

Suddenly, a rough but distinctly feminine voice rang out from the dragon's direction. "Stoick!"

The chief paused, confused. If there was a person on the dragon, it _had_ to be one of the riders. His heart sank when he realized that Hiccup wasn't the rider. "Who is it?" he asked, expecting it to be one of the Thorston twins playing a joke on him. "Show yourself."

"Of course," the girl's voice replied. She hopped off of the dragon, and then Stoick saw-

"Heather?" he asked, surprised. "W-where have you been? Where's my boy?" He paused, eyeing her. "It also seems as if you've been cured from your recent poisoning… but how?"

"Because of Hiccup," Heather returned. "And that's where we have a problem, Chief."

Stoick froze, fear gripping his heart. " _What happened to Hiccup? What's the matter?_ "

Heather seemed to be debating on revealing something to him, but she ended up shaking her head. "Nothing's really the matter with _him,_ Stoick." Although, she muttered under her breath, "Well, hopefully not anymore…", before she continued. "Ryker knows the Berserker ships are here. He's holding off from attacking now because h-he's setting up a trap."

"A trap?" the chief repeated, worried. "What kind?"

Heather darkened. "We… don't know yet. But Astrid is going to try and find out. She'll send a Terrible Terror when she learns what it is."

"By Odin's Beard…" Stoick ran a hand down his tired face, exhausted. "Hiccup and her are still there, aren't they? Tell me everything you know, lass."

Nodding, Heather straightened. "Of course. Let me start from the beginning…" Secretly, though, she vowed to herself to not tell Stoick about Hiccup's whipping. She wasn't going to let him know yet. The circumstances were too dire. She swallowed. "It was a few nights ago when Astrid and I were flying, and suddenly we got shot out of the sky by Dragon Hunter nets…"

* * *

Hiccup awoke feeling surprisingly good, with the bliss state of being caught between sleep and awakeness all around him. He wanted to stay like this for as long as he could-possibly forever- where he could escape the previous pain he had experienced... but something told him to wake up. The bright world around him darkened, and he opened his eyes with worry. Why did everything now seem so… _wrong?_

"Hiccup, you're awake!"

 _Astrid._

Letting out a slight cough, Hiccup managed to nod. "Yeah. And… I'm feeling a lot better." It was true. The searing pain in his back was gone, replaced with only a soft stinging. Then, he suddenly was tackled by a black beast who licked his face with glee, making Hiccup laugh. "T-Toothless, I'm fine now, bud…"

Toothless pulled away, his neon green eyes sparkling with a new alacrity. His rider was better. Maybe there was still some hope left for the future after all.

"So…" Astrid sighed. "I guess you're healing quickly?"

"Yeah... but, A-Astrid… is something wrong?" Hiccup asked, confused with her depressed attitude. He lifted his head off the floor, and looked around. Alarm filled his eyes. "Where's Heather and Windshear?"

"Hiccup… I…" Astrid stopped herself, trying to break the news. "They went to warn the Berserkers about a trap that Ryker is planning for them. They left a few hours ago, but haven't been brought back in here, so I think they made it." Her tone was hopeful, but also hesitant.

"And you didn't wake me up?" Hiccup queried, if a bit hurt. He had remembered a lot about Heather in the past two days, and she was practically like family now. If something had happened to her, he had never got the chance to say goodbye...

"I'm sorry, but we were running out of time. Besides, you need your rest for tomorrow," Astrid said, sitting back against the wall.

Hiccup slowly sat up, his elbows supporting him. "What? Why? What's going on tomorrow?"

There was silence for a few seconds, before Astrid answered.

"Tomorrow," she breathed, glancing over at Hiccup with both fear and determination in her eyes. "Tomorrow… the _real_ battle begins."


	23. Chapter 23

**All right, guys! Awhile back I said that once we reach 50 follows for HTTYH, I'd write an EXTRA long chapter. And guess what? IT'S PAST 50 FOLLOWS (almost 60!). *balloons explode* YAAY! THANK YOU SO MUCH, GUYS! *hugs you* So, here's an extra long chapter, AS PROMISED, with shoutouts and a song! :D Enjoy!**

 **(to the tune of Shake It Off)**

 _ **I stay up too late, got too many ideas in my brain**_

 _ **That's what my readers say, that's what my reviewers say**_

 _ **Too many cliffies made, but I can't make them run away**_

 _ **At least that's what readers say, that's what reviewers say**_

 _ **But I keep writing**_

 _ **Can't stop, won't stop fighting**_

 _ **It's like I got this idea machine in my mind**_

 _ **Saying this story's gonna be alright**_

' _ **Cause the rude reviewers gonna play, play, play, play, play**_

 _ **And the flamers gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate**_

 _ **Readers, I'm just gonna make, make, make, make, make**_

 _ **Cliffies everywhere, cliffies everywhere**_

 **Shoutouts:**

 **animalsarepeopletoo: Haha, well I'm glad you're liking it! Aw, thanks. No YOU'RE amazing. :D You'll see how Dagur responds to Heather's return in this chapter, Stoick's not going to be happy if he finds out what happened to Hiccup, YES HE STILL THINKS HICCUP IS BAD, BUT LUCKILY HEATHER IS THERE TO TELL HIM OTHERWISE, Gustav's just… you know, hanging around and annoying people to death! Here's your update! :)**

 **Silentleap85: Thank you! :D Yep, the 3 cookie deal WAS tempting, but sadly it ran out for this chapter. *cackles* Ooh, yeah, I'm definitely bringing it on today! *cracks knuckles* Heh, there'll probably be a cliffhanger at the end of this… hehe….**

 **HiccupZain: Heh, well here's your chapter! Oh, yeah, Hiccup's getting bits and pieces of his memories back over time (which will be revealed in this chapter, actually), haha, yep, I do whump him a lot! Aww, thank you! You're so sweet! (WHAT?! NO ONE CAN HAVE IMMUNITY AGAINST MY CLIFFIES! NO ONE!)**

 **Funtasticme: Yes, SO MUCH CHAOS IS ABOUT TO UNFOLD! Nope, Hiccup doesn't have all of his memories back, sadly, BUT we'll leave his recovery to the author! Me! *cackles* Yep, there'll be more Hiccstrid coming up! Thanks for reviewing! :D**

 **katurdi: YES, FINAL BATTLE, FINAL BATTLE, FINAL BATTLE! Haha, well you won't be "disappointed" in me this chapter for not leaving a cliffie! *laughs evilly* *coughs* Well, I'm glad you think so! YAY HEATHER, WHOO HOO! *you and me fistbump* Oh, yep, Stoick's not gonna be happy. Here's your chapter!**

 **AvatarAngel0723: Hmmm… I COULD write you into the script to kill of Ryker… hmm… NOPE! I have something special planned JUST for him! *cackles* Here's your update!**

 **Nightfurylover1112: Thank you! I'm so happy you like it! :D**

 **SailorMew4: Heh, 'cause I can! Here's your chapter!**

 **Clover And Darkness: *posts chapter as you scream* Here it is! :D Oh, yeah, I fixed those typos, so no worries! Thanks for catching them! (I like suck at editing… :D)**

 **phieillydinyia** **: Yep, Stormfly is just resting on one of the ships. Don't worry, she'll come in! Hehe… I don't know, WILL Hiccup be all right? *grins* Oh, yeah, that might seem confusing, but don't worry! Your question will be answered this chapter!**

 **Goldeneyeddragon101: Yep! Ryker BETTER have his butt kicked! Oh, it's fine- life happens! Sure! Please continue! :D**

 **Smoe05: Sorry about the dialogue! I was feeling pretty off on Tuesday- as most of this week- so my writing was probably weird. :D Hopefully this will be better, though! Let me know what you think! Thanks for reviewing! :)**

* * *

Hiccup's dreams were full of memories that night. He could barely believe them as they floated by in his mind, but they were there. They were real, if a little unbelievable at times. And… they were fairly frightening at times.

He remembered countless villains kidnapping him and almost killing him, plenty of near-death experiences, wonderful times with the Riders at Dragon's Edge, and then the amazing experience of kissing Astrid that one sunset. In his sleep, he smiled at the memory, and even unconsciously scooted closer to her.

When it was finally time to wake, Astrid turned out to already be up and ready for the long day. She grinned at Hiccup with unknown eagerness as he opened his eyes. "So, how are you feeling?"

Hiccup paused, waiting for a sharp pain to run down his back. But nothing came, and he felt relieved. "I actually feel… _good_."

Astrid nodded with approval. "Can you sit up?" she asked.

"Let me see…" Biting his lip, Hiccup raised his head from the floor. Nothing seemed to pain him except a dull ache that throbbed in his back. He was amazed with what a little water in him, a little alcohol on his back, and a good night's sleep could do to help his condition. After a few moments, he sat the rest of the way up, and broke into a grin. "Yep."

Astrid let out a relaxed breath. "Good. That'll make escaping easier much for today. You know, if you can manage walk."

Hiccup frowned. "Yeah, yeah… I think I can... so, any more thoughts on the 'trap'?"

This time, it was Astrid's turn to frown. "No." She cocked her head. " _But,_ we still have to get out of here very soon to figure out if the Berserkers are in danger. And if they are, we have to warn them."

"Wait," Hiccup said, confused. "Yesterday, you told me that they'll be attacking this afternoon, unless you send a terror mail saying otherwise. Well, what if we can't find a Terrible Terror, and the Berserkers, the Berkians, and the Riders come straight to their deaths? There's too much at risk. We could just escape on Toothless now and get out of here while we still can."

Astrid sighed. The old Hiccup wouldn't have given up so easily, but she had to remind herself that he was different than before. "We can't just _leave_ Ryker and all the Dragon Hunters unattended," she reminded, giving a small smile to the awakening Toothless. "They kidnapped us. They made you get amnesia. They hunt dragons for a living. No, we can't pretend none of this ever happened. If we did, we'd be no better than them."

Hiccup leaned against the wall, one hand in his lap and one hand on his dragon's head. "I know… I just…" He closed his eyes. "I'm scared."

"That's never stopped you before."

"Yeah, well, I'm not the old me anymore, now am I?"

Astrid, eyes narrowing, bent forward and placed her hands on Hiccup's shoulders. The boy was forced to look her in the eye, thought it was reluctant. "Bits and pieces of the old you are still in there, Hiccup," she promised, though it was more like a demand for him to believe her than a statement. "We're going to get out of this- together. Like we always do."

Hiccup, after a few moments of quiet thinking, gave her that crooked, questionable smile which made her heart leap. "You really think so?"

Pausing before going on, Astrid nodded. "Yeah. I do." She grinned. "So that's why, trap or no trap, we're all going to finish the battle… the _final_ battle." Her eyes gleamed. " _Today."_

* * *

Dagur could barely believe his eyes.

Right before him stood his recently-believed-to-be-kidnapped sister, who looked as healthy as she had been before she was poisoned. And she just casually waved to him before putting her hands on her hips. Dagur, absolutely bewildered, stood up from his seat in his cabin and ran forward, embracing Heather in a close hug.

"I missed you too, Dagur," Heather chuckled, patting his back.

Dagur pulled away a moment later, green eyes full of concern. "Heather, what happened? How are you cured from your poison? Why didn't you come back that one night?" He frowned. "And… where's Astrid? Didn't you two leave together on that flight?"

Stoick suddenly emerged in the doorway, his arms crossed with stress. "I'm afraid we _do_ have the answer to that, Dagur," he explained. "As well as some... _unsettling_ news about today's battle."

Darkening, Dagur put an arm around Heather's shoulder. He swallowed, and nodded. "Tell me."

* * *

"All right!" Astrid stood up in the cell, stretching as she did. "We need to escape now- and pray that we don't bump into Ryker or any Hunters on the way out." She grabbed the key out from under her skirt, and brought it over to the door.

Hiccup nodded, getting to his knees. _I'll take this one step at a time,_ he told himself. _Slowly, Hiccup, slowly…_ One of his legs went up while the other remained in a low crouch. He continued the sluggish movements until both of his legs were straight. He was standing, for the first time in days.

Astrid smiled over at him as she twisted the key into the lock. "Great! You can stand!" The door clicked open, and she frowned. "But can you walk?"

Hiccup took a tentative step forward, almost prepared to collapse. But he didn't- his legs only shook a little bit from the new weight. Toothless nudged Hiccup's pale hand with his snout, showing that he was their for his rider if he needed him.

Smiling, Hiccup patted Toothless's head. "I'm okay now, bud."

Astrid swung open the cell door, wincing at the loud sound it made. "Okay…," she whispered, almost afraid to raise her voice now that they were out of captivity. "We have to move _very quietly_ up the stairs, and then find a way out."

"I know how to get out of here," Hiccup offered. "I've been around here before."

"Good! All right, Hiccup… as you know, this place is going to be crawling with Dragon Hunters now that the battle is approaching," the girl continued, walking out of the cell. Hiccup followed, as well as Toothless, and the three moved over to the stairs. Astrid cleared her throat. "We're going to have to find out what the trap is, and then send a Terrible Terror explaining how to beat it to the Berserkers."

"But what if we don't find out what it is in time?" Hiccup queried, grimacing.

Astrid shrugged. "Then, we deal with it. The Berserkers will most likely be able to work their way out of this 'trap' if worst comes to worst, and we'll help them through it." She gave him a comforting smile. "We _can_ win this thing."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Hiccup said sarcastically. "The odds are obviously in our favor."

"Oh, hush, you…" She paused, then snapped her fingers. "I forgot something! I'll be right back." She jogged over to the cell, and grabbed something from inside before running back to Hiccup. And in her hands, she gripped a sword. "Here," she smiled, handing it to Hiccup. "I have a feeling that you might need it later on in the battle."

Hiccup examined the sword with fascination, and nodded as he slid in into the empty sheath strapped to his side. "Thank you, Astrid. I really do appreciate it."

"Of course, dragon boy." The girl smirked. "Now, come on. Let's go before something else happens to us." And she started to run up the stairway, Hiccup and Toothless hot at her tail.

* * *

Getting out of Ryker's base's building wasn't as hard as Astrid had first expected.

But, as soon as she saw the mob of Dragon Hunters outside, she almost wished Hiccup and her were back in their cell. Even if they weren't in the best place, they'd still be _safe_ from all this _._ Well, saf _er_.

Hiccup subconsciously grabbed Astrid's hand to give her some sort of reassurance, and she squeezed back at him.

"Okay, when the next Dragon Hunter passes, we grab him," Hiccup ordered, nodding with determination. "If we're lucky, he'll spill all the knowledge he knows about the 'trap', and then we can warn the Berserkers."

Astrid grinned. "Just what I was thinking."

The two went on each side of the door, pressed against the marble wall. Toothless slunk over to Hiccup's side, trying to seem as inconspicuous as a Night Fury could be in such a situation. They waited for a few more moments before they heard the familiar, cheerful whistling of a Dragon Hunter coming their way.

Hiccup nodded at Astrid, and they both silently counted in their heads the amount of time until they could grab him. The whistling got closer and closer until it seemed to be right next to them, and… Hiccup and Astrid jumped out in the doorway, and each grabbed a shoulder of the Dragon Hunter before they dragged him inside.

"What the-" the man began, confused with why he was being taken.

Then he saw them.

"Hey! You're Hiccup Haddock, aren't you?" he recognized, studying Hiccup with repulse. "I heard Ryker locked you up!"

"Yes," Astrid smiled, "he _did_ lock us up. But, like all of your pathetic plans to capture all the archipelago's dragons, he failed." She flashed him a glare. "Any _more_ questions?"

"Uh… no." After a nervous beat, the Hunter tried to free himself from Hiccup and Astrid's grasp, but ended up not being able to pull free. Fear was evident in his eyes as Astrid gripped him even harder. "Whatever you want to know, I'm not telling!" he claimed.

"Oh, really? I seriously doubt that," Hiccup chuckled. "Toothless!"

The Night Fury approached, his mouth opening with a plasma blast ready to go.

"Now, tell us what sort of trap you have planned for the Berserkers!" Hiccup demanded. "Or my dragon _won't_ be happy."

Toothless roared for effect.

Terried, the Dragon Hunter looked around for any sign of help. But, of course, there was no one else there in the room, making him sigh in defeat. "Underwater cannons," he mumbled. "Ryker built… underwater cannons. When the Berserker ships come by, there's dragons tied up below there that will pull against levers to the cannons and release boulders that will hit the ships."

Astrid gasped, and relaxed her grip on the man's shoulder just a little bit in her distraction. "Hiccup, we have to warn them!"

Frowning, Hiccup glanced out the door to examine the ocean and the sky. Panic filled his expression, and he looked back over to Astrid. "We're… we're too late," he breathed. "The Berserker ships are coming our way. It must already be afternoon!"

"No! We have to stop them!" Astrid protested.

"There's no way… unless…" Hiccup paused, his panicked expression slowly becoming calm. He knew what he had to do. "Unless I disable the cannons. Toothless and I can dive under the water and blast the dragons free! We'll be in and out before Ryker knows it."

"No, Hiccup!" Astrid argued. "You can't! It's too dangero-"

She was then interrupted by the loud, ringing blast of a war horn. "The Berserkers are here!" a Dragon Hunter yelled from outside. "Take your positions!"

Astrid's face turned a deathly white, and her clench on the Dragon Hunter before her tightened. The man squirmed with discomfort.

"Don't you see, Astrid?" Hiccup exasperated, struggling to maintain a decided demeanor. "I don't _want_ to do this… I _have_ to!"

Swallowing quickly, Astrid nodded before she could stop herself. "Fine… go. I'll take care of him." She glared over at the Dragon Hunter she was holding, and he gulped. "I'll meet you at the docks when I'm ready… and if you haven't resurfaced by the time I get there, dragon boy, I swear… I will swim down there myself to get you."

Hiccup smiled, and took his hand off the Dragon Hunter. "Understood, milady." He looked over at Toothless, and waved him over. "Come on, bud! We have to save the Berserkers and the Riders before it's too late."

Toothless ran over, and Hiccup climbed onto his back in preparation to take off. "Wait, Hiccup!" Astrid interceded, holding a hand out. "If… if something happens…"

Giving her a nod, Hiccup patted Toothless. "I know. But nothing will happen. I promise. Besides, when's the last time something bad happened to me?" He paused when Astrid shot him a doubtful look. "Okay, forget about that… but, still. I _will_ come back to you."

"You better," Astrid growled. "Or _else."_

The Dragon Hunter cleared his throat. "I'd just hate to break up this just _lovely_ moment between you two, but I have a battle to fight. And I already told you what you wanted, so-"

Astrid responded by sending a harsh jab to his side.

"Or not," the man panted, trying to catch his breath.

"Goodbye," Hiccup said over to Astrid, his tone gentle. "I'll see you soon. _I promise_." With that, he nudged Toothless, and they took off into the bright blue sky, which was now filled with flying arrows and boulders. The rider and dragon easily dodged them, as having had much experience in doing so, and continued flying off towards the docks.

"It's now or never, bud," Hiccup whispered to Toothless as they got closer to the sea. "Are you with me?"

The Night Fury rumbled.

Hiccup laughed. "I'll take that as a yes…" His eyes floated upwards, and he saw they were a mere few dozen yards from the water. "All right… let's do this." He pressed Toothless to go downwards, and they dived through the sky, splashing into the water below.

* * *

"Berserkers!" Dagur cried from the mast of the ship. "The battle is here, and we must fight with all of our strength to win! Now… will we be berserk about it?"

The warriors howled with approval.

"Will we let Ryker win again?" Dagur roared, cupping his ear.

His army booed.

Dagur raised his arms in exhilaration. "Then let's fight! We're fighting for the dragons! We're fighting for Hiccup Haddock! And we're fighting to win!"

Heather couldn't keep the growing grin off her face as she watched her brother take charge of the entire army. It was amazing how serious and determined he could be at times- it was almost nothing like his old self. The blood-thirsty, insane, deranged one. Not that that part of him was completely gone... he was still Dagur the Deranged, wasn't he? And strangely, Heather didn't see that as a bad thing.

Meanwhile, Stoick mounted Skullcrusher from below them, ready to save Hiccup. He was going to make Ryker pay for all he had done. For all he was planning to do. The only relief he had was that Hiccup was alive- for now. He intended to save his son before it was too late.

The chief nudged his dragon. "Up, boy! To Hiccup!"

Skullcrusher roared, and leapt off the deck.

The two were almost immediately met with a wave of boulders and arrows, barely dodging them in time. Stoick roared, raising his axe.

"AAAAGGGHHHHHHHHH!"

He turned Skullcrusher to the side before they could hit an oncoming boulder, and shouted with triumph. He was about to head into the thick of things when he saw a black blur shooting towards them.

 _No,_ Stoick thought, stunned, and slowed his Rumblehorn in his bewilderment. _It can't be… no..._

But it was. As the blur got closer, he could make out the form of a boy and a dragon coming their way at impossible speeds.

"Hiccup?" Stoick gasped. His surprise faded into concern. " _Hiccup_!"

His son didn't hear him, and instead started to dive Toothless… and then they disappeared under the ocean with a giant splash, leaving no trace of them ever being there.

The chief's blood ran cold. "Hiccup!" Stoick yelled, panicked at what he had just seen.

" _Hiccup_!"

* * *

Bubbles swarmed Hiccup's eyes as he and Toothless swam under water, going at the quickest pace they could go. Toothless's strong wings and limbs helped propel them further than Hiccup could have gone, but it still seemed to take too much time to THe boy's liking before they saw the loaded cannons up ahead.

Hiccup pointed to them, his brown hair swishing about in his face, and Toothless continued forwards, preparing a plasma blast. Hiccup silently prayed that the chains holding the captive dragons weren't dragon-proof, as it was too dark to see if they were now. He didn't have enough firepower to break them alone.

Once they got close enough, Toothless fired his plasma blast at the first chain, and the puple ball shot through the water until it reached its target. There was a mini explosion where it hit, filling the water with millions of bubblies.

When it cleared, though…

The chain had been broken.

Hiccup nearly shouted with relief, yet stopped himself just in time. Yes, it was wonderful that the chains weren't dragon proof- Ryker must have not had enough time to make them, Hiccup assumed-, but wasn't about to go around carelessly wasting his oxygen.

The first dragon was free, at least. Though the water was too murky to identify the exact breed of dragon, Hiccup assumed it was most likely a Thunderdrum by the size. But there were still two other dragons to take care of, and Hiccup frowned. He nudged Toothless to fire again; the dragon obliged.

Two shots later, all of the Thunderdrums were free and swimming away.

Well, that is, all except one.

One of the Thunderdrums had misunderstood Hiccup and Toothless's motives, and was currently charging straight at them. Hiccup didn't have the strength to scream as Toothless swam upwards, trying to escape the angry beast's jaws.

The feral dragon chased them all the way to the surface, but thankfully Toothless flew quick enough to avoid it just in time. Hiccup and he flew out of the water a moment after, shaking water off of their heads. "That… was close," Hiccup panted, relieved to have air. "We did it… though… bud… see, it wasn't s-so bad!"

Toothless growled skeptically, turning to fly in the direction of the battle.

That's when they saw him. The man that had captured Hiccup in the first place. The man who was responsible behind Hiccup's amnesia. Hiccup's whipping. All of Hiccup's current problems, really. And he was standing right on the docks, firing Dragon Root arrows at the sky with his crossbow.

Ryker Grimborn.

"Hiccup!" a voice suddenly called from behind him. " _Hiccup_!"

Hiccup turned his head around... and saw his father on his Rumblehorn, flying towards them quickly. Hiccup bit his lip. He didn't want his dad getting hurt in what was ahead. He had to take Ryker down by himself. He could handle it… right? A sense of fatigue washed through Hiccup as he glanced over at Stoick again. He was cold, wet, confused, and his back had just started to ache again. Maybe having help wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe-

Hiccup shook his head, and looked back at the upcoming Dragon Hunters' base. He was Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, the Pride and Heir of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe. There should have been nothing he couldn't have been able to do. He had to defeat Ryker now, before someone close to him got hurt. Like his father, one of the other Riders, Toothless- he paused, fear flooding him. _Astrid_.

 _No, I won't let it happen!_ he promised himself. _I won't._

"Hiccup!" Stoick yelled from behind him as Toothless was forced to fly faster. "Hiccup, come back! Son!"

"I'm sorry, Dad," Hiccup murmured, more to himself than to anyone else. "But I have to do this. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, which means I have to be the one to end the battle. After all, I'm the one who started it in the first place."

Toothless whined, concerned with Hiccup's change in mood.

The boy smiled. "It's okay, bud. I know what I'm doing."

But as Ryker's face got nearer, thick doubt filled him.

"I hope."

A few seconds later, they arrived, and Toothless shot a warning plasma blast at some archers positioned on the docks ahead. The Hunters promptly scattered, leaving the space empty… however one person remained.

Hiccup sucked in a breath.

It was Ryker, who glared at Hiccup with such fury that the Dragon Rider feared he'd be run through at that very moment.

But Hiccup brushed aside his unease, replacing it with confidence.

He could do this... He nodded to himself. He had to.

"Ryker!" he yelled, landing Toothless with a soft thump. They were on the docks a few yards away from the man. He grabbed his sword Astrid had given him earlier from his side, and narrowed his eyes with determination. _You can do this, Hiccup... you must.._. "I need to talk with you!"

Ryker glowered harder at him, and all at once, the battlefield grew quiet. The Hunters, the Berkians, the Riders, and the Berserkers stopped fighting. No more arrows shot through the sky. No more clashes of swords. Even the Berserkers' war cries silenced, and everyone watched anxiously for what would happen next.

The head Dragon Hunter before Hiccup tossed aside his bow. "What?" he spat, his resentment clear.

Hiccup jumped off of Toothless, his sword gleaming in the afternoon sun. "I challenge you..."

He lifted his chin in decision.

"...to a swordfight!"

He forced himself to keep a stoic expression for what he was going to say next.

 _Breathe in, breathe out._

 _You can do this._

 _You have to. For your friends. Your family. Your village. For Toothless. For everybody._

"A swordfight... which will be a duel," he continued. He felt angry, but a little fear crept in as he said the next dreaded words.

"A duel... a duel to the death."


	24. Chapter 24

**I'm SO sorry I didn't post for the last week, guys. You want to know the reason? My left hand is currently COVERED in bandages. :( Why, you ask? Well, I BLAME IT ON MY DAD. He said that for Memorial Day on Monday, we should all go to this nearby lake and go kayaking. So, I was dragged into it. Next thing I know, I'm in the middle of the lake, and it's burning hot while my paddles are rubbing into my skin, YOUCH. Then, *chuckles nervously*, the lake turned out to be very flooded, so some beaches were covered with water, and (SURPRISE) I fall out of my kayak and my hand hits a thorn bush under water. *shivers* Yep! That's the story of my life! Anyways, I was unable to write until now (I posted a one shot, though, but I regretted it for the rest of the day :/). And then I felt like throwing up today as well… ick.. but, anyways, here's shoutouts and then the long awaited awaited chapter! Again, SO SORRY I DIDN'T UPDATE. STUPID INJURED HAND AND SICKNESS. AND I MADE THIS CHAPTER REALLY LONG IN APOLOGY. PLEASE TAKE MY APOLOGY:)**

 **Shoutouts**

 **FanWriter02: Hehe, yep, I'm evil! :D *fist bumps the air***

 **katurdi: I guess it DID escalate pretty quickly, didn't it? :D YESSS HICCUP, GO BACKWARDS AND LET YOUR FRIENDS DO THE WORK! NOW! Haha, yes, YAAAAY TO ALL THOSE CHARACTERS! And… me? *bows* Thank you, thank you very much…**

 **Funtasticme: YES, a fight! *cackles* Mmmm… yes, I see what you mean. Well, you'll just have to see how it turns out!**

 **Astrid E Lokison: UGH, YES, STUPID HICCUP! *hits him on the head* DID** _ **THAT**_ **JOG YOUR MEMORIES, HUH? OR YOUR** _ **SENSES?**_ ***wipes hands, glaring* Yes, they do indeed call me Queen Cliffie. *tips head* Thank you! :D Here's your chapter!**

 **Nightfurylover1112: Y-y-yes, a c-c-c-cliffhanger! Haha, yep, I do that with other authors as well. :D Glad you like it! Here's your chapter!**

 **The Wizard Rider: Aw, thanks! It means a lot! Yep, Hiccup will need all the luck he can get!**

 **Guest: Thank you! Yes, I agree that this cliffie is more… erm… SENSIBLE? *laughs***

 **AvatarAngel0723: Glad you liked it! Hmm, WILL Hiccup win the duel? Who said Ryker will die? ;D The Final Battle will be ending VERY soon. *cackles* Song next chapter, I promise! Gustav reaction to Heathlegs is coming next chapter! HICCSTRID MOMENTS NEXT CHAPTER, HICCTOOTH MOMENTS PROBABLY THIS CHAPTER. Heathlegs next chapter! Haha, you put yourself in the story, did ya? Great! Here's your update! :D**

 **animalsarepeopletoo: Yep, extra long chapter! Nah… I'm not amazing, YOU'RE amazing! :D Aw, thanks! I'm glad you think so! YES YES YES, cliffhanger! It's long overdue! Thank you, it means a lot! Here's your chapter! Thanks for reviewing!**

 **BlueCookiesForRick: Thank you! :D Ugh, right? Hiccup IS a self-sacrificing idiot! *smacks him on the head* BE SMART, HICCUP! Thanks! Here's your chapter! :)**

 **Hiccstridlover13: Glad you liked them! Haha, yes. I HAD to end with a cliffie. XD**

 **SailorMew4: YES, DUEL TO THE DEATH! IT CAN'T END WELL, CAN IT? :/ Thanks for reviewing!**

 **Goldeneyeddragon101: I know, RIGHT? Stupid Hiccup! And I thought he was SMART! *huffs* Well, we'll just have to see what happens in the chapter, now won't we? :D Haha, Forbidden Friendship in THAT chapter? Hehe… well, thanks for reviewing!**

 **Morganapendragon: Aww, thank you! You're so sweet! :) I'm glad I could help you out. :D Here's your chapter!**

 **Silentleap85: Umm… okay? XD Sorry if you don't like me anymore! Cliffies gotta be where they gotta be. *nods* Erm, no, I don't recognize those references! Where are they from? Thanks for reviewing!**

 **Smoe05: Haha, yes! COME ON TOOTHLESS, BLAST HIM! That's like the obvious thing to do, but you know how Hiccup just doesn't have killing in him. :D Well, who knows anymore? Thank you! Glad you like it! Here's your chapter :)**

 **HiccupZain: Hehe… *cackles* *chokes on cackles* *coughs* Yep! A swordfight between Hiccup and Ryker is not good indeed! Mmhmm! Hiccup obviously could have used Toothless to do his dirty work… STUPID HICCUP FOR NOT CHOOSING THE OBVIOUS CHOICE! You'll see why in this chapter. :D Aw, thanks! I'm happy you like it:) Here's your chapter!**

 **Guest: Yep, I know, it's just because my hand was injured that I didn't post yesterday. :)**

 **Unknown (guest): DUNNN DUUNN DUUNN indeed!**

* * *

There had been many times when Hiccup was afraid.

He'd faced dragons the size of mountains, he'd been kidnapped too many times to count, he'd been in more than his share of battles, and even had seen death. But facing Ryker like this… he had almost never been more afraid in his life.

Ryker sneered, drawing his giant sword from its sheath. His eyes glimmered with both hatred and annoyance, as if he couldn't believe Hiccup had challenged him to something. He even let out an amused laugh, filled with doubt of Hiccup being able to triumph.

"You think you can beat _me?"_ he chuckled. "Hiccup… I'm the one who _taught_ you swordfighting in the first place. And you were never even good at it. Besides," he paused, darkening, "how do I know you won't use your dragon in the duel? Seems like something you would do."

Hiccup narrowed his eyes. "Because this fight is between man, and man alone," he pointed out. He refused to let his countenance betray any of his wild emotions. "Toothless won't be in the duel at all." He turned to the Night Fury who was currently growling at Ryker, and waved him off. "Bud, stand down. It's okay."

Toothless let out one last huff, and then lowered his guard, pupils slit with anger. Hiccup turned back to Ryker shakily, his sword out. "See? It's just you against me. Me against you. No dragons. No soldiers… nothing."

Ryker actually looked thoughtful, and cocked his head. "How do I know your friends will keep the same agreement?" He gestured up to the Riders who flew overhead in the sky, watching them with eerie silence. "They could blast me easily if I killed you."

Hiccup swallowed. "They won't. I promise." He looked up at his friends, but avoided his father's concerned gaze. He couldn't face him now. Not when the battle was about to begin. "Guys! Don't try to help me in the swordfight. I need to do this alone!"

Stoick's face showed surprise, and he edged Skullcrusher a bit closer to his son. "Hiccup, you can't win against Ryker! This is madness!"

"No, it's not!" Hiccup yelled, suddenly frustrated. "I can't live my life hiding behind dragons, my friends, or _you_! For once, I'm going to prove my worth." He looked back over at Ryker, and raised his sword. "Now, I'm r-"

"Hiccup!"

Hiccup, pausing, glanced up at the sky, where Astrid now hovered above him, her blue eyes wide and terrified. "Y-you can't do this!" she protested. "You're injured, you're tired, you still haven't regained all of your memory, you-"

"Astrid." Hiccup cut her off with just that one simple word. It was quick and sharp, but filled with a gruff, commanding tone that stopped her in her tracks. There was silence for a moment. "I can do this. Just wait for me." He gave her a reassuring smile.

Biting her lip, Astrid glanced over at Ryker. Well, it was more of a glare than a glance, and no one ever liked being glared at by Astrid. _Especially_ if the reason why was if they were threatening Hiccup.

Ryker scowled back before he looked over at Hiccup. "I'm getting impatient, boy. How many more goodbyes must you say?"

"Just one." Hiccup turned back to Toothless, who looked like he was either going to have a heart attack in worry or lunge at Ryker there and then. "Hey, bud… I-I'm sorry this all had to happen," Hiccup murmured, lowering his head. Toothless cooed, stepping forward, and Hiccup scratched the dragon's ears. "I'm sorry that I didn't trust you while I had amnesia… I'm sorry I betrayed you when I joined up with Ryker, and…" He heaved a sigh. "If… if things don't end well, Toothless, then you need to run. Ryker will be after you. Please, bud, just promise me that."

Toothless whined, but he slowly bobbed his head.

Hiccup smiled, backing away. "Thanks, Toothless. You're… you're amazing."

Ryker grumbled something unintelligent from behind them, and Hiccup could hear him drawing nearer. "If we don't start soon, Hiccup Haddock, then I'm afraid I'll have to order my army to start attacking again, followed by me running you through."

Hiccup swerved back to Ryker. "And what makes you think _I_ won't be the one running _you_ through?"

Laughing, Ryker casually flipped his sword up in the air, caught it, and then did a series of impressive moves until he stopped… his sword positioned only a few centimeters away from Hiccup's chest. "Because, Hiccup," he drawled, "I've always been better than you."

"You're wrong," Hiccup growled, raising his own sword. "I've had more sword training than the time spent with you."

Ryker lowered his sword, eyes sparkling with humor. "Not sure how much good that would do you," he scoffed. "I'm a Dragon Hunter. I'm _the_ Dragon Hunter. My skill far exceeds yours."

"Oh, that's great!" Hiccup said sarcastically. "Shall we find out for sure, then?"

Glowering, Ryker tipped his head. "Yes, Hiccup. We shall."

And he lunged.

* * *

 _Several years before, when Hiccup was just a wee lad of seven years, Stoick had recently decided to finally teach the boy how to swordfight. The whole morning after he decided, he awaited eagerly through his chiefing duties to get back to the forge and fetch Hiccup for training. And when the time finally came, he was almost bursting._

" _Hiccup!" he called as he threw open the forge door. "It's time for your sparring practice!"_

 _The young boy looked up from carrying a heavy mace over to Gobber, and he blinked slowly. "Sparring?"_

" _Yes, son! I told you yesterday!" Stoick's excited expression slowly faded when Hiccup didn't show any sign of recognition. "Didn't I?"_

 _Hiccup dropped the mace off near the currently-working Gobber, and wiped his gritty hands off on his working vest. "You…" He swallowed. "You were at the Great Hall last night with everyone else. And all day you were…_ out." _He said the word like it was something that shouldn't have been spoken of._

 _Stoick chewed on his lip, uncomfortable. "Well…" He cleared his throat. "At least you know now, then."_

" _Yeah," Hiccup echoed. "At least I know now."_

 _The chief shrugged his shoulders. "So… we'll be off?" When Hiccup nodded, he grinned again. "All right. Come along, lad. This is a big day- the day you learn how to_ swordfight _." He waved Hiccup over, and the boy reluctantly came to his side._

" _But, Dad… if I'm going to keep on working with Gobber in the forge, why do I need to know how to swordfight?" Hiccup asked, his green eyes shimmering with confusion. "All I need to know is how to make things."_

 _As he led his son out the door, Stoick heard Gobber chuckle from the corner. He sighed, trying to get the news clear to Hiccup. "Well, son, you're not going to work here forever."_

 _Hiccup gave Stoick an odd look as they left the forge, headed outside. "I'm..._ not _?"_

" _No!" Stoick smiled. "Someday, you'll become chief, just like me. And becoming chief is a very, very great honor and responsibility. Your mind will have to be quick to think, and you must be quick to act. You'll have to know how to settle agreements, keep your sword skills sharp…"_

 _He continued on, but young Hiccup wasn't listening anymore. He was terrified at the prospect of becoming chief. The other children called him useless, and he believed it, so if he became chief of Berk, he'd be a total failure. An embarrassment to his father. To everyone._

" _But… I don't want to leave the forge," Hiccup murmured, stopping in his tracks. "Gobber needs my help to make the weapons for the dragon raids."_

 _Stoick sighed, placing a rough hand on his boy's shoulder. "You have the blood of a chief running through your veins, son. You have a duty to your people, and someday you'll have to answer their call. I'm just going to prepare you for what's ahead."_

 _Hiccup, eyes downcast, gave a slight nod. "Okay…"_

" _Good man," laughed Stoick. "Now, off to training! Get ready… you've got a big day ahead of you!"_

 _And as he continued pulling Hiccup forward to the arena where they would practice sparring, he didn't seem to notice the tears glimmering in his son's eyes, along with the muffled whisper of, "I don't want to be chief."_

 _No._

 _Stoick did not see or hear it at all._

* * *

Hiccup was quick to dodge Ryker's attack, and returned with a parry of his own. His sword moved in a blur, either pressing forward or falling back.

For a moment, Ryker seemed surprised with Hiccup's sudden ferocity, but then a cold smile spread itself on his lips. "So it is true," he began, having to raise his voice over the violent clanging of swords. "You _are_ better than I first thought you were. Interesting."

Hiccup stiffened as a line of pain shot down his back, but he didn't say anything. He only swung his sword harder.

"You're quite skilled, you know," Ryker grinned, as if he were enjoying the duel. His huge muscles bulged as he lunged with his sword again. "You just lack restraint for your emotions. But if you mastered that, I'd say you'd be an excellent swordsman."

"Don't tell me what I'm good or not good at," Hiccup whispered. " _You_ don't get to judge me."

Ryker smirked. "Oh? So who does, then?"

Hiccup had had enough of Ryker taunting, but he forced himself not to lose control. The only way he would win this battle was by wearing Ryker down, and then striking the man when he last expected it. But, Hiccup reasoned, would he even have the courage to _kill_ him when he was forced to make a choice?

 _No,_ Hiccup thought. _Not kill. Just wound. I'll… I'll knock him out._ He smiled, his conscience slowly being satisfied with his decision. Yes, this would work. He just had to hit Ryker over the head with the hilt of his sword…

But as he looked up at the man, the _humongously_ built Dragon Hunter, he suddenly realized how difficult that would be. He'd have to jump- and high if he wanted to knock Ryker out completely. This would be difficult.

A bead of sweat trailed down his neck, running down his shirt and back. He winced as it stung against his recent whip lashes. Really… he was in no condition at all to swordfight. He shouldn't have even been alive after all of this. Yet somehow, he was. And he was here, fighting Ryker... fighting for his friends' safety… and freedom for all the dragons.

It could all end if Hiccup defeated Ryker.

All of it could end.

But only if he won.

Hiccup licked his lips, once again determined. He slashed at Ryker, his feet (er, _foot)_ stepping back and forward in a blur. Ryker received a small gash on his arm, and growled as blood began to seep out of it. Hiccup found himself smiling. It wasn't much, but it was something.

Hiccup's sword went faster. And faster. And even faster. Yes, Ryker held the points in size and skill, but Hiccup was nimble on his feet. He was able to dart around Ryker and jab where the Dragon Hunter least expected it, managing to get in a few more cuts. He heard his father and friends cheer from above as he struck Ryker's sword arm.

The bigger man nearly roared, stepping up his game. Hiccup gulped a little, but continued.

After ten minutes of the process, Ryker was steaming with anger. A nineteen year old boy- a _child,_ practically- was beating him. Beating _him,_ the head of the Dragon Hunters. The one who had survived throughout the entire war. Even Viggo hadn't. Not wanting to let it seem he was losing confidence of winning, he straightened his shoulders and readjusted his grip on his sword. "I've had enough of this," he spat, darkening.

And then he kicked at Hiccup- right where his stump met his metal leg.

With a cry of pain, Hiccup fell backwards at the pressure, hitting the wooden docks with a hard _thump_. His back screamed in agony, and his sword fell a few feet beside him. "You… you cheated," he rasped, looking up at Ryker with narrowed eyes of fury. "Cheated…"

Ryker, chuckling, put his sword right above Hiccup's chest. "You lose," he smiled, soaking the revelation in.

"And I," he continued, " _win_."

* * *

" _I can't do it," seven year old Hiccup sniffed, throwing his sword down on the arena floor. "You're too good, Dad… and I'm just…" He swallowed. "I'm just_ useless."

 _Though it hurt Stoick to see Hiccup like that, the chief maintained a solid expression as he bent over and picked up Hiccup's sword. "Nonsense, son. I've had a lot more practice than you. I'm surprised at how well you're doing so far!"_

 _Which was obviously a lie. Hiccup was, in truth, a_ terrible _swordfighter._

 _But of course, Hiccup didn't need to know that._

 _Stoick handed Hiccup his sword, eyes hard and firm. "We'll go again, lad."_

" _What's the use?" Hiccup sulked. "You're going to beat me anyways… I might as well give up now." Tears filled his eyes, and his sword threatened to drop to the ground due to his sorrow. "I really am useless, aren't I?"_

 _The chief sucked in a breath, caught unawares by Hiccup's confessions. "I don't want you speaking like that again, Hiccup," he demanded. "Greatness is in all of us, somewhere. Whether it's hidden deep inside someone, or right there on the surface for us all to see…" He gave his son a small smile. "It's still there. And Hiccup,_ you _have some of that greatness in you."_

 _Hiccup blinked hopefully. "You really think so?"_

" _I don't_ think. _I_ know."

 _Hiccup smiled, his sword raising. "I think I'm ready to try sparring again now, Dad."_

 _Stoick nodded. "Glad to hear it, lad."_

* * *

" _Hiccup_!" Stoick yelled, terrified as Ryker loomed over his fallen son, his sword outstretched. "Hiccup… no!" He was about to fly Skullcrusher downwards to come to Hiccup's aid, when Astrid suddenly blocked his path with Stormfly.

"Stoick, you… you can't help him. It's against the rules," she argued, however much it pained her to say that. "We have to trust that Hiccup will get out of this mess himself. After all, doesn't he always?"

The chief stopped himself, face scrunched with fear. "I can't lose him," he breathed. "He's my _son_. The only part of the family I have left. I don't care about the _rules_!"

"Chief, no! He _will_ get out of this!" Astrid snapped. "Watch! He will!" She swallowed, turning to face the downed Rider. "He will…"

But this time, it was more to herself than to Stoick.

* * *

" _Oof!"_

 _Hiccup fell backwards with a groan as Stoick knocked the sword out of his hands. He held back a shout of pain, unable to get up for the moment._

 _Stoick cringed. "All right, Hiccup. If this happened in real battle, you'd be-"_

" _Dead," the young boy cut in, a little annoyed. "I know."_

" _Well… yes. But, there is also a way you can get_ out _of the situation, if you use the technique wisely." Stoick glanced down at Hiccup, nearly touching his son's chest with his sword. "Now, I want you to kick my sword out of my hands, and then jump up and push me backwards after I try and pick it up again. Got it?"_

 _Hiccup nodded reluctantly. "Okay..."_

* * *

"Okay, _Ryker_ ," Hiccup growled, lifting his head from the ground. "You win. I lose. What are you going to do now? Kill more dragons? Kidnap another heir? Take over the world?"

Ryker glared harder. "I plan to _run you through_ , right here and now," he said, "you little-"

* * *

" _Kick, Hiccup!" Stoick whisper-yelled. "Kick my sword out from my hands! It's the best way to disarm a foe in battle."_

 _Grimacing, Hiccup narrowed his eyes... and he kicked._

* * *

Hiccup kicked.

His left leg shot out and collided with Ryker's sword, causing the weapon to go flying until it landed precariously at the edge of the docks. Ryker grunted in alarm, barely able to process what had just happened.

He had been winning. He had had a _sure_ way to end Hiccup Haddock once and for all. Everything had been just about to work out...

But not anymore.

Without a word, Hiccup jumped up from his spot in the ground, eyes blazing with fury. The Hooligans and the Berserkers shouted happily at the sight, and Stoick relaxed his grip on Skullcrusher. "My name is Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third!" Hiccup yelled, standing at his full height. "I am the son of Stoick the Vast. I am the Heir to the Berkian tribe. The Friend of Dragons. And," he raised his sword, pointing it at Ryker, "I _will_ stop you. I will!"

Ryker darkened, and if it was possible, looking even more murderous than before. "Oh, we'll see about that, Hiccup..."

* * *

 _Stoick's sword flew out of his hands from the boy's sharp kick, and it landed with a hard thump a few feet away. Stoick couldn't help but grin._ Now _Hiccup was getting somewhere. Remembering what he had to do next, the chief began to run over to his sword._

 _But then little Hiccup jumped up from the pavement and thrusted all his weight into Stoick's chest, knocking them both over. Stoick rolled away from his sword while Hiccup landed near it. In a rush, the boy lifted his head from the ground and grabbed the weapon. He stood up, panting._

" _Did I win, Daddy?" Hiccup asked, hesitant as he walked over to his father. "Did I do what you wanted?"_

 _The chief looked up at Hiccup, a wide smile on his face. "Yes, son. You did."_

* * *

"No," Hiccup snapped, a plan already forming in his mind. " _You'll_ see what I have planned for _you_!"

Suddenly, he leapt forward, sword in hand, and pushed Ryker backwards. Both men slid closer to the edge on the docks, fighting for control of the other. Toothless roared, leaping at Ryker. He couldn't stand by any longer while his rider was in danger.

"No dragons allowed!" Ryker yelled, bending over to grab his fallen sword before he slashed it at Toothless.

The sharp blade cut against the Night Fury's snout, causing a trickle of blood to run down his nose. Hiccup yelped in worry. "Bud, stand down! Please! I know what I'm doing."

Toothless growled, slowly backing away. He'd retreat- _for now._

"You can't win!" Ryker laughed, jabbing his sword at Hiccup's side. "I'm too strong! You could never kill me."

Hiccup fought off the move, still trying to push Ryker backwards. "I don't think so either," he agreed. "But I _can_ stop you." A grim smile found its way onto his lips. He knew what he had to do now. The only way to win was clear in his mind.

 _The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few._

He had to stop Ryker at any cost.

So, with all the strength he could muster, he pushed himself against the larger man. If he had to go down, then so would he.

And, gaining a gasp from the Berkians and Berserkers, the Dragon Hunter and the Dragon Trainer tumbled off the docks, their swords slashing as they went underwater at a rapid pace.

A long, terrible moment passed.

They did not return.

* * *

Hiccup didn't dare trying gasping for oxygen after he and Ryker started sinking. All he could focus on now was knocking Ryker out, and then dragging them both up to the surface. He winced. Did he really have the muscle to do something like that? He bit his lip. _Well, I have to try_.

His attention was broken when he saw Ryker approaching him in the water, still swinging his sword with fury. The boy paddled away, lungs desperately pleading for air. _I need help,_ he thought as his vision began to dance. _I need something to help take down Ryker. I need-_

A roar rang out.

Hiccup smiled.

For that was the roar of a Thunderdrum.

And, he realized after a moment, it was very likely that it was the exact Thunderdrum that didn't escape with the others when Hiccup and Toothless blasted them free from their chains. Maybe… maybe this was his way to win.

A second later, the great dragon appeared, growling at the sight of Hiccup and Ryker struggling in the water. Ordinarily, Hiccup would have been at least a little afraid at the sight of a wild Thunderdrum coming straight at them, but right now he couldn't have been happier.

The Thunderdrum drew closer, its eyes fixed on them both. Hiccup held his breath, waiting for the right moment. Just as the dragon arrived a few yards away, he pushed himself off of Ryker... opening a clear path for the Thunderdrum to get to its target.

Ryker then realized what was happening, and shouted in alarm. He tried to swim away, but the sea dragon was too quick, biting down on his leg- the already broken one. Hiccup heard an agonized scream erupt from the man's lips as he was dragged off, headed to Thor-knew-where.

But something was wrong. The Thunderdrum wasn't swimming to the surface… he was going deeper underwater. At this rate, he'd drown Ryker. And that wasn't part of Hiccup's plan at all. Panicked, the boy tried to swim after the Dragon Hunter in hopes of saving him, but found that his arms were like lead, and his vision was too blurry to see where he was going. He dropped the sword gripped in his hands, too tired to hold onto it any longer. It sunk quickly.

 _He was so tired..._

He was just about ready to give up any chance of survival, when suddenly there was a splash from above him, and then a giant hand took grip of his shirt collar. He was being dragged up next. Getting closer to air, to his friends, to survival...

After finally breaking the surface, Hiccup coughed out water which he hadn't even realized he'd swallowed in the first place. Then there was a hand patting his back, murmuring quiet things into his ear.

"It's all right now, son… let it all out..."

"Dad?" Hiccup croaked, blinking slowly as his vision came into focus.

"Aye." Stoick smiled down at Hiccup before he started to make his way over to the docks. Once they arrived, the chief heaved both himself and his son on top of the wooden planks. "Are… are you injured?" Stoick panted once he had regained his breath enough to speak. "What happened down there? Where's that Ryker fellow?"

Hiccup breathed in and out heavily, leaning his head against the deck. _If only you knew how injured I had been a few days ago, Dad…_ "I'm fine," he coughed. "Just a little bruised here and there… but Ryker, he… he…" He swallowed, and tried to put it in a way that he could get out. "One of two of the Grimborn brothers died by fire. And now… and now the other one is… is gone by water."

Stoick's eyes widened in disbelief. "So, you… you did it?"

"Yeah…" Hiccup's tone was weak, and his enthusiasm even more so. "I guess I did."

"My boy… my boy did it!" Stoick yelled, standing up from the docks. "Ryker Grimborn is gone for good! The Dragon Hunters have lost!"

A deafening cheer rang out from the Berkians and Berserkers, and some of the Dragon Hunters even dropped their weapons at the sound. And who wouldn't? The cries of Vikings, whether joyful or furious, were all the same terrifying to hear. But after a minute of their hoots and hollers, the Vikings began to chant a name… _Hiccup's_ name.

" _Hic-cup! Hic-cup! Hic-cup_!"

Hiccup sat up, surprised, when a hand patted his shoulder. His father's hand. Hiccup looked up to see Stoick's shining face. "I'm so proud of you, son," the chief smiled. "You saved the entire archipelago… again!"

Hiccup laughed. "It appears so."

Suddenly, he was tackled by something- a dragon. "Toothless!" Hiccup exclaimed once he realized what was going on, and hugged his best friend. "How's your snout, bud? The slash Ryker's sword gave you didn't look pretty."

Toothless seemed to roll his eyes at Hiccup's concern, and licked Hiccup's face harder. "Agh- _Toothless!_ You _know_ that doesn't wash out!"

The dragon sat back, his eyes almost saying, _I know!_

"Now, son," Stoick boomed when the rider and his dragon had finished reuniting, helping Hiccup stand. "Are you ready to meet the Riders again? You… you remember them, don't you? You have your memory back?"

"Well, _most_ of it, anyway," Hiccup admitted. "But, yes. I'm… I'm ready to see everyone again."

No. He was _beyond_ ready.

Stoick patted Hiccup's shoulder once more, beaming as he looked up at the Berkians and Berserkers. "My son," he yelled, "has come back to us!"

And the crowd cheered harder.

* * *

 **I know, I know, not the PERFECT chapter ending, but staying up** _ **probably**_ **too late (is 3:30am late?) has zapped me of like, almost all my energy and creativity :) But next chapter will be better. Because next chapter is... *drumroll* REUNION, HICCSTRID, HEATHLEGS, AND GUSTAV REACTION TO HEATHLEGS. :D**

 **Anyways, can you believe it guys?! NEXT CHAPTER IS THE LAST ONE?! *gasps* Well, I'd like to thank you all for sticking with me after all this time, through those little bumps along the way. It really does mean a lot.**

 **Well, until next time! *waves happily***

 **-thepurplewriter333**

 **(P.S. I'd like to think that Hiccup was pretty good with a sword, even if they didn't show it in RTTE. I mean, he's the chief's son… he's got to have had some type of training! Plus, Hiccup's a very fast learner, it seems, so when he and Ryker practiced sword fighting for those few days, he learned a lot. Just wanted to get that out! :D)**


	25. Chapter 25

***sniff sniff* Last chapter guys. Are you ready? It's been a wonderful journey so far, and I'm so thankful for all of you guys sticking with me through this story. :D Now! Here's last song, and last shoutouts, then last chapter… (I will be doing an A/N chapter, though, so there's that! *shrugs*)**

 _ **(to the tune of Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver)**_

 **Almost heaven, FanFiction . net**

 **Getting reviews and faves, follows when you wake up**

 **Fics are better here, better than trapped in your mind**

 **Vent your imagination, ignore those flames all the time**

 **thepurplewriter, Queen Cliffie**

 **You leave cliffies left and right**

 **Here's your story, the end of the story**

 **I'll miss you guys:/, all the time...**

 **Shoutouts:**

 **Hiccstridlover13: Thank you! Aw, don't worry. The Riders will still live on!:) I'm glad you've liked it! Here's the… *sniffs* here's the last chapter.**

 **katurdi: YES HE DID IT HE DID IT YAAAYY! (we all knew he had it in him:D) I know, RIGHT? Little Hiccup is sooooo cute! I AM good at writing fight scenes? Good! I was worried that it wasn't good… haha, yes. One died by fire, the other by water. Typical! XD Yep. This is the last chapter indeed… :(**

 **Dragxn Defender: Indeed so! FanFictions ending are often a sorrowful thing…. *sniffs* Haha, nah, you don't need a coffin. It'll have a good ending, I promise. :D**

 **Clover And Darkness: Aww thank you! :D :D :D You're so sweet! I'm glad you liked the chapter- I do agree, it was one of my favorites. :) Haha, yeah. Good luck!**

 **FanWriter02: Thanks! *hugs you* Yeah… this chapter is the last. Mmhmm, all good things must end. And all bad things. XD (I have very low confidence in this story for some reason) Thank you! Here's you chapter!**

 **Funtasticme: Hehe, I agree! I don't care about Ryker at all. VIGGO was the real villain, and Dagur is… well, Dagur! And I love him. :) Here's your chapter! HICCSTRID IS COMING, YAY! *streamers explode***

 **AvatarAngel0723: I'm glad you liked it! Thanks! *gasps* YOU DID IT? YOU KILLED RYKER?! THANK YOU! *places crown on your head* All hail, Queen Rykerkiller! *bows* Yeah, he's gone, don't worry… :D Here's your update! Thanks so much for reviewing!**

 **SailorMew4: Thanks! I'm happy you think so! :D**

 **Smoe05: Haha, YES. After all those attempts to escape death in the water (and by a Thunderdrum as well), Ryker still died! :) Oh, thanks! I'm glad you liked the fight. :D Yes, Toothless, LET HICCUP DO THE WORK. POOR TOOTHLESS. :( Thank you! Here's your chapter!**

 **The Wizard Rider: Yep, this chapter's the last. *bows head sadly* Thanks! Yeah, my hand is much better now. The bandages are off, so that's good! :) Aw, thank you! I didn't think the fight scene was GREAT, but it was acceptable. *nods to self* Unfortunately, no sequel. I'm backed up in other stories at the moment…. *chuckles nervously* But MAYBE in the future. Maybe is the best I can give right now… :/ Indeed, there is Hiccstrid in here! I think you'll like it! And father/son bonding IS awesome. :D Thank you!**

 **animalsarepeopletoo: It is? THANK YOU, ANI! *hugs you* (BTW, I love your new profile pic!) Mmhmm… this is the last chapter. :( Nah, EVERYTHING'S not ending, don't you fret. :) Aww, thanks! I'm so happy you're enjoying it! Here's your (last) update… :(**

 **phieillydinyia: Yay! I'm so happy you liked it! *tackles you in a hug, squealing* Thanks! Yep, Viggo still did die by falling into the volcano. Nothing's changed! :) Here's your update! I'm so happy you have wi-fi. :D I mean, YOU POOR THING, WITH NO WI-FI! THAT MUST'VE BEEN TORTURE! *shakes head sadly***

 **Silentleap85: Thank you! Oh, Mulan, I love that movie! No, you're not childish. Disney is for ALL ages, just as HTTYD is! :D Aw, THANK YOU! Here's your chapter!**

 **Astrid E Lokison: Thanks so much! Yeah, Hiccup might just have some sense in that thick head after all. XD So… if 3:30am is late… then is 4:30am late too?! Here's your chapter, and thanks for the review! :D**

 **AnimeandDragonfan54: Thanks! :D I'm glad you think so! I was pretty excited with putting in the flashbacks too… :) Yep, next chapter is the last! This fanfic has been going on for a month and a half, ending with 25 chapters, and I feel that it's acceptable to end it now, especially since I'm swamped with many other ideas for future fanfics… No, there won't be a sequel. At first, I wanted to make one, but I decided against it. (even though I really want to write one:D) Hmm, I'm planning a variety of stories for the future. Right now, I'm working on my Modern AU one, "More Than I Seem", but I'm going to go on a hiatus starting this Saturday to give me time to write the first chapters of my next fanfic. It'll be great! :D Oh, and my hand is much better now. Thanks for the review!**

 **HanikahTheWriter: Really?! *squeals* Thank you! Aw, yes, well, all good things must end, right? It's HTTYH's time. :) Thanks for reviewing!**

 **HiccupZain: Aw, thanks! I'm glad you think so! :D Yes, thank goodness, Hiccup managed to overpower Ryker… IN A WAY. XD (the Thunderdrum may have helped a little) Yes! Exactly! 3:30am is usually EARLY for me! MWAHAHAHA! 4:30am-5am is the way to go! (well, as long as you sleep in some :D) YES I FEEL ENERGETIC TOO. LATE NIGHT DELIRIUM CAN DO THAT. *giggles maniacally* Thank you! Here's your chapter!**

 **All right, then! I think that's everyone! *brushes off hands* Thank you all so much for the reviews:), I just love reading them. Now…. final chapter. It's not much action, but FEEELLZZZ. Here we go. Deep breath in. Deep breath out.**

 **Now let us begin.**

* * *

Hiccup barely had take to register the roaring of the crowd before he was swarmed by the other Dragon Riders, as well as Heather, Dagur, and… Gustav? Unfortunately, the twins were still confused with Hiccup's previous betrayal and the fact of his sword fight with Ryker, so they didn't exactly take it all that well.

In fact, as soon as Barf and Belch landed, Ruff and Tuff hopped off their dragon, looking furious. "Get him!" Tuffnut shouted, pointing at Hiccup. "He's a traitor! We need him restrained!"

The twins jumped towards Hiccup in preparation to tackle him, but Astrid jumped in the way, giving them a hard glare. "Stop it, you two muttonheads! Hiccup's on our side. He's no traitor!" she huffed, crossing her arms.

Hiccup nodded, wincing as he rubbed his back. He father patted his shoulder with concern, but didn't say anything. "Yeah, guys. I'm not a traitor," he explained, smiling weakly. "Well, at least not anymore. After all, I _was_ just fighting Ryker."

Ruffnut and Tuffnut relaxed a bit, but other riders still looked confused. "But… how?" Fishlegs sputtered, looking utterly at shock. "You nearly slit Astrid's throat when you two had your sword fight, you _chose_ to be a traitor to all of Berk, and we can't forget you almost killed everyone in the process! Am I the only one lost here?"

Tuffnut tapped his chin. "Hmm. My dear friend, it seems as if-"

"-if this could _ever_ be true," Ruffnut interjected, crossing her arms.

"That Hiccup Haddock, Master of-"

"-Mind Games and his cleverness, has-"

"Yes," Hiccup interrupted, crossing his arms. "Guys, as _most_ of you probably have guessed, I was pretending to ally up with Ryker. I knew that once I gained his trust, I would have an easier chance at killing him. But, I'm so sorry for almost killing you all many times… Ryker was watching, and I had no choice but to act like I was your enemy. He would have found out otherwise."

Stoick slowly blinked, his eyes wide as he gripped Hiccup's arm tighter. "So, it was all a trick, son? You never betrayed Berk? I had, well… I _assumed_ that you had changed your mind when that Ryker and you started to fight, but I never imagined that you were pretending this whole time..."

Hiccup winced, looking up at his father. "In the beginning, I did turn over to Ryker's side, Dad. I had a flashback about when you were… _disowning_ me, and that kind of set me off."

The chief's expression looked pale. "Oh, Hiccup…"

Swallowing, Hiccup continued. "But after I had my fight with Astrid, and then let her go, I began to have new flashbacks- better ones." He smiled, thinking back to them. "Some came in dreams, some came when I was awake, and some I've just recently found out… I-I remember the time I caught Toothless with my bola cannon, and then when I found him in the woods. I remember going on our first flight, learning new tricks for dragon-killing class. I… I remember our sunset flight together, too, Astrid."

Astrid smiled back at him, scratching Stormfly's neck. "So, you _do_ have all your memories back?" she confirmed. "The last time I checked, you had remembered a lot." Unable to help herself, she grew excited. Maybe things could go back to the way they were before. Maybe…

"Not all of them, yet," admitted Hiccup, shrugging. "I guess I'll just have to wait until they all come back. But until then, I'm content with what I know." He grimaced, shaking his head. "Though I do wish I didn't remember quite a few villain encounters… but I'm just ready to head back to Berk and finally sleep in my own bed."

Stoick laughed, patting his son's shoulder. "I agree, lad! I can imagine exactly what you're feeling. We've been on the hunt for you for days now. I think we could all do with a nice rest at home." Hiccup grunted at his father's touch, his back burning from the recent whipping.

Almost immediately, Stoick furrowed his brow. "Hiccup? What is it? Are you hurting somewhere? Were you injured?"

Hiccup smiled, but it was painful. "Nah, I'm fine. I…"

"He was whipped," Astrid filled in, shaking her head. "After he got Heather the antidote to her poison and got the dragons back, Ryker found out. And he…" She swallowed. "He whipped him. And this was only a few days ago. Only Thor knows how Hiccup's walking around now."

Stoick looked horrified, and glanced down at his son. "He _whipped_ you?" The chief, removing his hands from Hiccup's shoulders, cracked his knuckles with anger. "I swear, if that man wasn't already dead..."

Hiccup only shrugged, wincing again. "It's okay now. Astrid and Heather helped me recover. Besides, it's only fun if you get a scar out of it, right?" It was a weak attempt of a joke, and no one laughed.

"Well, we're going back to Berk as soon as possible to get Gothi to check you out," Stoick demanded, "And after that, you're going on a strict bedrest for a week." When Hiccup started to protest, the chief crossed his arms. "Don't make me stretch it to two weeks, son. I can and I will do it."

Hiccup stopped in mid-sentence. _Great… a whole week of doing nothing…_ He glanced over at Toothless. "At least I'll have you, bud. You won't let me get bored, right?"

Toothless snorted, nodding.

Astrid sighed, putting her hands on her hips as she turned to the other riders. "Now that that's all settled… who's ready to go back home?"

Fishlegs' tight expression melted into one of relief. "Thank Thor! I've never been more happy to go back to Berk in my life…" He grinned.

"Yeah, I could use a break," Snotlout agreed casually, trying to act like the cool-Viking in front of the others. "We've been away from Berk for days on end while searching for Hiccup. Now that we found him, I say we get out of here!"

Heather jumped off of Windshear, preparing to say her goodbyes. "Yeah… Dagur and I will be arranging the Dragon Hunters' surrender, now," she explained, biting her lip. "But, it was nice seeing you all again- despite the circumstances why." She grinned weakly. "I hope we all can meet soon." After giving a few quick goodbyes to everyone, she held up her armored arm to Astrid, and the two girls clanked together.

Heather, turning to Hiccup, looked more grateful than she had even been before. "Hiccup, I can't ever thank you enough for saving my life…."

Hiccup smiled in acknowledgement. "Anytime, Heather. I'm just glad I could help."

"Yes, brother," Dagur agreed, patting Hiccup on the shoulder once he had walked up. "Thank you for getting the antidote to Heather's poison, and helping her escape Ryker." He growled, face twitching, but soon got his emotions under control. He shook his head. "I'm not sure what I would do if something happened to her."

"Of course," Hiccup grinned. " _Brother."_

Dagur beamed, and ruffled Hiccup's hair. "Yes! You're learning, Hiccup, you're learning! Ooh ooh! Now you, me, and Heather can be brothers and sister!"

Hiccup laughed. "Maybe in the future, Dagur. Until then, though." The two men nodded at each other.

Fishlegs sheepishly walked up to Heather, his arms trembling with nervousness. "I-I'm so glad you're all right, Heather. I thought I was going to lose you to the poison, but now that you're better, I… I'm relieved." He cleared his throat. "And even though we're b-both going our different ways, at least I'll know you're safe."

Smiling, Heather looked touched. "I'll miss you too, Fishlegs." And then she grabbed his shirt's collar, and brought him in for a kiss. All the others "oooohed", fits of laughter erupting from them all- excluding Snotlout and Gustav, who watched in horror- but Heather and Fishlegs couldn't have cared less. This was their moment.

When they pulled apart, Fishlegs looked much happier than before. "I-I'll see you soon, H-Heather," he stuttered, returning to his old nervous self. "I'll visit w-when I can."

Heather nodded. "I'll be looking forward to it, Fishlegs." She climbed on top of Windshear, as did Dagur on Shattermaster. Heather smiled. "We're going to go get our soldiers take of these Dragon Hunters now. If you need anything else, let us know. We'll always be happy to help."

"Of course we will!" Dagur emphasized. "Hiccup has saved my sister's life, and that can't be repaid."

Heather smiled, patting Windshear. "Yes, brother." She waved goodbye to Astrid, Hiccup, and the others. "We'll see you soon!"

"Wait!" Gustav cried, clutching onto Fanghook as he tried to stand up on his dragon. His expression was full of hurt, and he still looked absolutely shocked from Heather and Fishlegs' kiss. "Heather, how _could_ you? We were a match made in Valhalla! You can't just… you..."

Heather smirked, and Windshear shifted on her feet. "Sorry, Gustav… it would never work out." She shrugged. "Maybe you'll have better luck with Astrid, though. Or," she paused, a smile gradually growing, "maybe even Ruffnut!"

Ruffnut let out a very un-womanlike like growl from beside her twin brother, and Gustav's head swerved over to her. He was struck speechless for a few moments, eyes practically bulging with surprise. _Woah._ This Ruffnut… she was _beautiful_. Pure golden braids trailed down her neck and shoulders, her stunning blue eyes captivated him like nothing had before, and such a face…

"Well, hello there," Gustav drawled, wiggling his brow in an attempt to impress her. "What do you say we hang out sometime?"

Groaning, Ruffnut crossed her arms.

Heather laughed, and waved again. "I'll see you soon, guys."

"Indeed!" Dagur promised. "We will! After these annoying _Dragon Hunters_ get taken care of, of course… goodbye!"

And the two Berserkers took off.

Right after, the other Riders, Stoick, and Gobber each got ready to leave. "It's time to bring you home, son," Stoick said, smiling over at Hiccup as he climbed on to Skullcrusher. "Do you think you'll be alright flying on your own? I'm sure one of the other riders can fly Toothless if they need to. It's been a long day."

Hiccup shook his head. "No, I'll be just fine. Toothless will help me out." He patted his dragon's head with a smile, before he glanced back over at the other Dragon Riders. "Would it be okay if you left Astrid and I alone for a few minutes? I just need to tell her something."

Stoick looked momentarily surprised while Gobber laughed. Hiccup smiled at the sound. He hadn't been around Gobber for a while, it seemed. "Come on, Stoick," the blacksmith chuckled. "We should leave the two lovebirds alone before they throw a fit on us."

Hiccup reddened. "Just go!"

Laughing, once everyone was ready, they flew off from the docks, if not a bit reluctant to look behind them to see what Hiccup and Astrid would do next. Once they were gone, Hiccup cleared his throat, looking over at Astrid who stood in front of him with a curious expression. He wasn't sure where to even begin. How to say he was sorry for everything… how to explain those terrible feeling he had felt when they were apart…

"So," Astrid started, snapping Hiccup out of his thoughts. "You really were pretending the whole time, huh?"

Hiccup winced at the memory, and nodded. "Yes. I wanted to tell you guys, but Ryker was always watching. If I ever stepped out of line, even the slightest… well… there was an incident with a dragon, and I still regret it."

Astrid stiffened, wondering just how much Hiccup had gone through before she and Heather had been captured by Ryker as well. She smiled comfortingly, and without even thinking about it, she threw her arms around Hiccup. "It's okay," she told him, voice strong. "You're back, I'm back, we're back together. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to…"

"No, Astrid," Hiccup cut in, closing his eyes as he embraced Astrid's rare hug. "I'm- I'm sorry for everything that happened. I hate myself for everything I did to hurt you… to hurt everyone else…"

Careful not to touch his wounds, Astrid held Hiccup closer. "Well, we grow from some things, and I guess you just have to make it one of those situations. And… no matter what you've done, no matter who you've hurt, I will always love you, Hiccup Haddock."

Then, grinning, she kissed him.

And Hiccup kissed back.

"I missed you," Astrid whispered into Hiccup's ear once she had pulled away, closing her eyes. "Every day you were gone, still kidnapped by Ryker… I… I…"

Hiccup smiled, stroking her soft hair. "I missed you too..."

"I know you did..." After a pause, Astrid continued. "Hiccup, all of this has changed _everything_. You're different, I'm different-"

"No we're not. We're _better,"_ Hiccup interrupted, smiling. "We're not different. Like you said before, we've grown through this. It's all for the best, really. We're still Hiccup and Astrid. Nothing can ever change that. I'll always be yours."

Astrid buried her chin in his shoulder, finally happy. "I guess you're right," she agreed, her voice slightly muffled. "But… can you tell me you're not going to keep any more big secrets from me again?" She sucked in a hopeful breath. _If only convincing him would be so easy…._

But Hiccup nodded, surprising her. "I promise."

"Thank you, Hiccup," she murmured. "Thank you."

"Anything for you, milady."

There was a slight pause.

"Hiccup?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

And right then, as Hiccup hugged Astrid, he knew that nothing in the world could ever convince him to let her go.

* * *

 ***wedding bells go off in the distance* *I blow my nose violently in a handkerchief as Hiccup and Astrid ride by in their dragon-drawn carriage* Young love! 'Tis so sweet to enjoy, to embrace, to LIIIIVVEEE! *chuckles nervously***

 **Well, then. There's that final chapter. Yes, yes, I know it's not the longest chapter in there, or certainly the most INTERESTING, but I felt that ending the story last chapter just wouldn't fit. You know what I mean? :D**

 **Okay, well, I'll post the Author's Note in like 20 seconds, so see you soon! :D We can cry our eyes out there.**

 ***waves***

 ***bursts into tears***

 **-thepurplewriter333**


	26. Author's Note

**And that's a wrap, guys.**

 ***sobs into hands***

 **End of story. No more. Zip. Zilch. Zero.** _ **Ninguna.**_

 **Anyways… thank you all so much for being so faithful to HTTYH over this past month and a half! Thank you for faving, favoriting, reviewing, and just being there to read the story:D. Because of you guys, so far HTTYH has:**

 **VIEWS: about 16,000! *gasps***

 **FAVES: 55**

 **FOLLOWS: 66**

 **CHAPTERS: 25**

 **WORDS: 76,000**

 **REVIEWS: Nearly 300!**

 **Isn't that amazing? You all are amazing people! :D :D :D I love you all so much. :)**

 **Okay. Take another deep breath in. Deep breath out.**

* * *

 _ **It's time to say a tearful goodbye**_

 _ **Leave our favorite characters behind**_

 _ **And as they go, don't cry**_

 _ **They will soon be back another time.**_

 _ **It's been a fun journey, here**_

 _ **Writing cliffhangers, bringing tears**_

 _ **Now it's over, do not fear**_

 _ **More of my stories will appear.**_

 _ **Have faith, don't give up**_

 _ **Love the feeling of hurt Hiccup**_

 _ **And all through the little bumps**_

 _ **Continue to read the FanFiction stuff;)**_

* * *

 **You guys are AMAZING. Thanks for everything you've done- reading, reviewing, favoriting & following... it means the world, guys. :) I do hope I'll talk to you all again in the very near future. :)**

 **With much love, happiness, and many, many, many tears,**

 **-thepurplewriter333**


End file.
